One World Tree

One World Tree is touted as being one of the absolute best sources for genealogist.

Okay.

Fine.

Oh, wait.

It's basically a place where people submit the information from their tree to a storage house.

We're back to square one. Dates given aren't facts without documentation. Places stated aren't facts without documentation.

I have a birth certificate that has my name on it. It has my date of birth on it. It states when, where and to whom I was born. The two adults who raised me not only answered to Mom and Dad, they answered to the names stated on the birth certificate. Each of them had a birth certificate that had the same information on it, where, when and to whom they were born. I grew up knowing these other adults in my life were my grandparents. It took a while to realize that grandparents meant they were the mom and dad of my mom and dad. Dad didn't have a mom. Well, he did but instead of visiting her, once a year we'd visit her grave.

All my life, I had no reason to not believe the family history since there is documentation that backs up who my parents are. Not only my birth certificate, but in the 1960 and 1970 Federal Census I'll be listed as their daughter. How can I be so sure? Because I remember them raising me and not only was I listed as their daughter in their obituary, but they claimed me as their daughter in their wills. Not only that, the five people whom I call my siblings have not taken me to court to contest this fact.

This is all a set up of why I trust the information my mom and dad said to me. They backed it up with time, energy, love, support, etc., etc., etc.

Even so, when I trace my ancestors, I grab every document that I can. Not because I think my parents lied to me. No, I do it to prove the family tie to those who don't know me, or didn't know my parents.

When I get to my grandparents, I haven't found birth certificates for any of them. I know the ones born in Kansas won't have them. Kansas didn't require birth certificates at that time. There might be one in Illinois for my maternal grandmother, but I'm not sure. I do have a marriage license for my each of my grandparents. I have census data. I have pictures that were labeled.

Other than my paternal grandmother, I knew my grandparents. I spent time with them.

Going back one more generation, to my great grandparents: three of my four paternal grandparents were gone before I was born. The fourth one passed away a year after I was born. I don't have any memories of her. On my maternal side, all four were living when I was born. Two passed away fourteen months later. Again, I don't have memories of them. The other two passed away within a few years, but they lived in Idaho and I don't think I ever saw them or they ever saw me.

To start my search on my great grandparents, I have to rely on information I remember my parents and grandparents telling me. Then it is up to me to find the documents showing the truth in what I was told before I make public any information pertaining to them.

It's even more true when it comes to my great, great grandparents.

By the time we get to our great, great grandparents we're one of usually several hundred who can claim them as a great, great grandparent. In the majority of the cases everything wasn't given to one child, so the information or family heirloom that was passed down to my direct line will be different than the heirloom or information passed down the direct line of another one of their children.

What does all this have to do with One World Tree? When the only information presented is names, dates and places with zero supporting documents, the information is basically useless.

The one thing One World Tree does provide, names, dates and places. But it is up to each person to prove or disprove if that name, date and place is accurate. Just because it's listed on One World Tree does not mean it's true. I know for a fact it doesn't. Sarah Ann Renshaw Gaines, the mother of my great, great grandmother Martha Matilda Gaines Knight Trubey did not die in Kansas. She is buried in Illinois. Her husband came to Kansas sometime after her death to live with his daughter Martha. He did die in Kansas. I've been to his grave which is in Kansas. But Sarah Ann did not die, nor is she buried in Kansas. But if I based my data on the data found on One World Tree, I'd mark her down as having died in Kansas. I would be wrong. Very wrong.