Anyone have experience with the Mormon search engine?

[icymist]

I may be new to this group. I have just searched ancestors through the Mormon search engine. I have found my mothers side of the family to go back as far as 1776. This was from a search through the Mormon search engine. There was a single person entering this data. I wrote her a letter. Her address (City and county) matches where my great grandfather is buried. This letter just went out today, 12/03/09. I figure it will take five days to get to the address I've sent it to (if that's still her address).

Do any of you have experience dealing with the Mormon search engine and it's reliability? My Aunt is ready to visit this person since she lives just twenty minutes away.

Anyone with some advice here?
thank you in advance.

[sybylla]

1. Always note the source of the info

I've found errors in the information that comes from contributors. Too many of them seem to take other people's messed up work and send it in. I take private contributions with a grain of salt. I've had luck using what I find there to locate (or not) corroborating records so it's not all bad. Just know what you're getting.

If the information comes from transcriptions from original records,I've found them to be pretty reliable. Plus you can always request the originals on Microfilm if they have it available.

[icymist]

5. Thank you for your input.

I have contacted the source and found it to be true. The womans' husband may be my cousin from my G. Gran Aunt. I have already contacted family living in the area to get in touch with them.

[Spider Jerusalem]

2. My experience of the LDS database is that it's very frequently wrong.

The 'Ancestral File' info is quite often inaccurate; information is frequently submitted based on bad research and mistaken identifications. I've found problems with LDS database info on my own ancestors. The most reliable part of the LDS database is generally the 'International Genealogical Index', which includes baptism and marriage records from churches; I've found this to be quite useful, as it includes parish registers for the UK.

[icymist]

6. I have also found their SS index to be of value.

When my Grandmother recently passed that's where I found her name, SS#, dob, dod and where the card was issued. I have also found another grandmother on the SS index with a strange first name. Since my fathers' mother ran away after he was born, that's all I got. I really do believe it's here, though, because of the strange first name and where in Ohio she lived.

A lot of the other SS index is pure crap.

I do love when I find a pedigree link and it opens up like it did with my G. Gran dad. Believe you and me, the whole family is into it right now.

[CBHagman]

3. If you mean FamilySearch, I've had good and bad...

...experiences.

The site is invaluable in many respects, as it does post some basic records (e.g., the 1880 Census) and turn up connections and clues galore. I definitely would not have gotten a foothold on one branch of the family tree, if I can put it that way, without FamilySearch. For example, I wouldn't have found what is very likely my great-great-grandparents' marriage record (entered in ledger in New Jersey back in the mid-19th century).

But like Ancestry, FamilySearch has transcribing errors, inaccuracies, etc., etc. As usual, find an official record or other means to verify anything you use from that site.

But it can be extremely valuable for making connections and finding the right direction and breaking down the odd brick wall. Just proceed with the healthy blend of curiosity and skepticism that any researcher needs.

http://www.familysearch.org

[goclark]

8. Thanks!

You caused me to take another look at Family Search....

We are an African American Family from Rappahannock Virginia
I found a death Record for "Irene Grayson." She died at 1 year.Her mother is listed as "Bettie" Chinn. No father is listed.

Elizabeth "Bettie" GRAYSON CHINN was my GG grandmother.

The Rappahannock Historical Society is awesome. They just published a CD of all of the Grave Stones in Rappahannock (colored and white) with detailes regarding mother/father etc.

The Historical Society CD had Irene as IRENE CHINN but thanks to you I know what happened... Their small beautiful town of "Little Washington" had not seen what my gg grandmother put on the Birth Certificate ~ she gave the child her Birth name --- GRAYSON.
Big Thanks!

[CBHagman]

10. Wow!

I'm so glad you were able to make the connection. What a heartbreaking story, to lose a baby of one year, but now you've found her and confirmed the relationship and the details.

I'm very gung-ho about local societies too -- genealogical, historical, etc. I've gotten some excellent results from the Genealogical Research Society of Northeastern Pennsylvania myself.

[goclark]

11. Thanks for your wisdom

I have been so lucky lately I have to pinch myself~

I have not had great success before 1865 ,I'm Afrivan American.

I just looked today and I am thrilled!

They have finally identified/;updated their 1820,30,40 census and it is fabulous. Not just for African Americans but for everyone.
For Free People of Color during those years it is a magical breakthrough.

For those that have not checked it out ~ run and do so, it is well done IMO.

[icymist]

4. This time it turns out to be on the up and up.

I've searched in other records and found my G. Gran dad with whom this woman has suggested. Apparenty this is my G. G. Gran dad and he was voting in Maryland in 1886! I'll say this much for the Mormon search engine, I found this side of the family and didn't have to pay a monthly fee for it!

[kestrel91316]

7. The LDS records can provide important clues and help fill in gaps,

but they are NOT primary source. Always take them with a grain of salt. They have my grandmother's name half wrong and her date of death completely wrong, and she was born and raised LDS so they ought to have got her right.

[goclark]

9. Family Search sure helped me this week

I had been looking for the missing pieces for my uncle Herbert and LDS had Marriage Records that fit right in time wise.

Then I found two TREES at Ancestry that blended with the information that I had collected several years ago.

He moved around a lot but always kept the same B day and he changed his middle initial to his fathers name. He named one child after his mother and one child after his youngest sister. He "Passed" for White and our family knew it when he left Maryland. He changed his RACE, his Birth location as well as his Mothers/Father's and identified as White and Mexican but he always gave his name and his correct birthday.

He was a Truck Driver.

Then I did a CONNECT with a person that had a TREE and my note was provided only the basic details.

She wrote back and filled every blank that I had -- it all fit.

[Thirtieschild]

12. Search engine took me to church records in Yorkshire

I was able to correct material I'd been given by a correspondent in Yorkshire, also take the line back a couple more generations. In this case I knew the church to look for, but I believe the link took me there based on name and date of the immigrant.