NYBROOKLYN-L Archives

Archiver > NYBROOKLYN > 2008-07 > 1216833196


From: Joe Bissett <>
Subject: Re: [BKLYN] Ancestry and Family Search
Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:13:16 -0500
References: <cc9.34f59cff.35b8a371@aol.com><6.2.5.6.2.20080723101546.01f57330@hot-peppers.com><215749e10807230936l1c92e698g81f96136f415d06b@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <215749e10807230936l1c92e698g81f96136f415d06b@mail.gmail.com>


Hi folks,

I surely do not want to renew the age old bash Ancestry / defend
Ancestry dialogue that pops up from time to time. Each individual
hopefully makes their own decision based on their own
circumstances. That is why I ended my note with the below quote.

At 11:36 AM 7/23/2008, you wrote:
>Just my 2 cents.

Having said that, let me state flatly that I have spent a
considerable sum on gathering certificates, copies, images, etc., as
has anyone who has been pursuing their roots seriously for any period
of time. I totally understand, but do not necessarily agree with a
position that consists of not wanting to give those documents the
widest dissemination.

Why? you might ask.

Well, my GOAL is to learn as much as I can before I pass on about the
heritage from which I am the result. It is my personal experience (
I am not trying to apply this to anyone else ) that despite having
personally paid for something, when I share it, I normally end up
receiving equal value in return, in the form of other document
copies, or more importantly, finding the trail to a new cousin.

I have also transcribed for "for pay" entities, as well as a very
small contribution to this wonderful Brooklyn list. Personally (and
again I am NOT trying to push my feelings on to anyone else) I could
care less where my work ends up, because the net result is to further
the total available knowledge for other researchers.

Imagine! I have a certificate for the marriage of a PIGGOTT grand
cousin in New York City in January 1879. All family members
completely disappear for the FREE 1880 census, and I am at a
standstill. I can just imagine that some clue that I need is in a
sealed LDS record, or was found and transcribed by someone who for
personal reasons does not care to share. If that record could be
accessed by me, whoever worked on it in the first place would
immediately have access to the 20+ years of research and document
gathering that is my database.

I would hope that such a perspective is at least considered in the
overall decision whether to share or not, regardless of the entity involved.

Again, just my 2 cents.

Joe


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