How to Find Descendants in the United States: Difference between revisions

'''''It may be harder.''''' Some genealogists consider descendancy research more difficult than pedigree research. This is because finding children is sometimes more difficult than finding parents. There are always exactly two parents of each child, but the number of children of each set of parents can vary widely. Moreover, there tends to be more documents that are likely to name the parents of a child, and fewer documents that list all the children of a set of parents. Finding children who died young and between censuses is often more difficult than finding parents.<br>

'''''It may increase the chances of an error.''''' Descendancy researchers are sometimes trying to prove their relationship to a famous or noteable ancestor. When celebrity is involved, there is a greater temptation to make linkage decisions than cannot be proved.<br>

'''''No shortage of names.''''' It is true you can find more names in three generations of descendancy research than in three generations of pedigree research. So what? There is no shortage of names for pedigree researchers if they are willing to go back a few more generations and concentrate on the immediate children of direct line ancestors.<br>

'''''Latter-day Saints''''' have the responsibility to research submit for temple ordinances direct-line ancestors and their children. Private extraction programs are discouraged. Further, living children and spouses may wish to have the ordinances postponed. Acting in conflict with the wishes of the closest living relative can result in bad feelings.¹<br>