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How to Find Descendants in the United States (view source)
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== '''Risks of Descendancy Research''' == | == '''Risks of Descendancy Research''' == | ||
'''''It may increase the chances of an error.''''' If the goal is to gather as many names as fast as possible, there is a risk the research and documentation will become casual or sloppy. Undue haste may result in unnecessary duplication of research and name submissions.<br> | |||
Also, descendancy researchers are sometimes trying to prove their relationship to a famous ancestor. When celebrity is involved, there is a greater temptation to make child to parent linkage decisions than cannot be proved. | |||
'''''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. In many cases 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 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. In many cases 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> | ||
On the other hand, some genealogists consider descendancy research | On the other hand, some genealogists consider descendancy research easier—an opportunity to gather low-hanging fruit.<sup>1</sup> | ||
'''''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 you are willing to go back a few more generations and concentrate on the immediate children of direct line ancestors. | '''''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 you are willing to go back a few more generations and concentrate on the immediate children of direct line ancestors. | ||
'''''Latter-day Saints''''' have the responsibility to research and submit for temple ordinances direct-line ancestors and their children. Private extraction programs are not appropriate. Further, living children and spouses may wish to have the ordinances postponed for near relatives. Acting in conflict with the wishes of the closest living relative can result in bad feelings.<sup>2</sup> | '''''Latter-day Saints''''' have the responsibility to research and submit for temple ordinances direct-line ancestors and their children. Private extraction programs are not appropriate. Further, living children and spouses may wish to have the ordinances postponed for near relatives. Acting in conflict with the wishes of the closest living relative can result in bad feelings.<sup>2</sup> Descendancy research by a distant cousin often causes more closely related family members to miss out on the opportunity to contribute work on their nearer relatives. | ||
'''''Respect privacy.''''' When doing descendancy research please respect and be protective of the privacy of living people. | '''''Respect privacy.''''' When doing descendancy research please respect and be protective of the privacy of living people. | ||