Why you should delete people from your family tree

[@kaycon4823]

This is an excelent answer to "What is wrong with someone coping another person entire tree." People don't have a vested interesting ensuring the accuracy and/or upkeep of people that they are not related and not important to them.

[@carlosdelagarza8983]

Thank you! You've just explained the difference between a serious researcher and a hobbyist. Ancestry.com, while useful within the context of crowd-sourcing, is much the same as Wikipedia - though I would argue that Wikipedia, with all its flaws, tends to be more accurate (though I would never use either as a source).

[@BobTheSchipperke]

I'm always cleaning up my tree.

[@Primalxbeast]

Oh, so you're only talking about dead people on my family tree? It's really the living ones who are a pain.

[@lightyagami3492]

We all understand that pain 😂😂

[@mdaly724]

I discovered a flaw in my ancestry passed down from a much older 2nd cousin that I see all the time. His story states that Theophilus Spencer (1732-1793) of RI and NY married Elizabeth Matteson (1744-Aft.1800) d/o Abraham Matteson (1719-1776) and Freelove Philips (1725-1776). Freelove is a gateway ancestor to George Soule who arrived aboard the Mayflower so I can see the allure of this path. The problem? Math. Theophilus, a great name to chase, married in 1758 so he was 25-26. The 1744 Elizabeth, however, would have been 13-14. While technically possible, the marriage record does not explicitly state her father's name (for permission) and 13-14 was very young for a marriage. I never did the math and it didn't strike me wrong until I did. And, besides, yuck. I know creepy is possible, but it doesn't feel right. How did I find out? I decided to complete the Mayflower Society application. Wasn't sure I was really going to apply but I thought it would be an interesting exercise. When I came to her I found she married someone else about 1764 and moved to Vermont. She would have been 20 in 1764. That's a much more sane number. Plus, the the records that put the daughter of Freelove in VT. I had to prune a huge branch off my tree as a result and start over. I mourned the 'loss' of a Mayflower connection but I'd rather have the truth than a borrowed connection. I discussed this issue with some others claiming descent from her and no one has changed their tree. So I look like the odd one out now. I *think* my Elizabeth Matteson was born about 1735 to Joseph Matteson (Abraham's 1st cousin) and Martha Greene. I think; still working on that part.