What to do about errors in other people's Ancestry Trees?

This is one of the biggest complaints I find on various genealogy Facebook groups that I belong too.

Many suggestions to this question range from ignore the tree and move onto the next; all the way to… reach out to the person and tell them their tree is wrong.

Then I read that people would be happy if someone pointed out the errors in their tree. Would you? 

For me, it depends on how they inform me. If someone just tells me I am wrong, I might be a little offended at first.

So here are my suggestions on handling errors in other people’s Ancestry Trees.

Check out the member’s profile. When was the last time they were on Ancestry? If it has been a while, sending them a message might be like talking to a brick wall.

Therefore, leave a comment on their tree for the fact in question. However, be very careful how you word it. You know the saying; you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Your comment should bring to attention that their fact conflicts with what you found. 

Remember, you don’t know what relationship the tree creator has to the fact or person the conflicting information is about. For example: It’s easy for people to say my tree is wrong, because my mother’s father is someone who my grandmother never married, and my mother was legally adopted by her step-father and all her documents refer to her adopted father as her biological father, not the man I have attached her to in her tree. Therefore, perhaps the tree creator knows something you don’t.

List why you think their information is wrong, by giving what you found. For example: One of my husband’s cousins has his great-grandfather, single and living with his married sister, father  and siblings in Illinois per the 1900 US Census. However, I know that is not him because I found him in the 1900 US Census in Wisconsin, living with his widow mother and several siblings. I also found his mother on the ship manifest stating she is going to live with her son in Wisconsin. Plus all their graves are in the same cemetery, in the same area of the cemetery. I know enough about the family, that I know my information is correct. However, to be nice, I will state that their Census conflicts with the Census I found. Now I let everyone who visits my cousin’s tree to determine for themselves which is correct.

1900 US Census from Tigerton, Shawano County, Wisconsin

1900 US Census for Chicago, Cook County, Wisconsin

So if you decide you want to contact the Ancestry member, also state that their information conflicts with what you found and list what you found. Give links back to the documents or your tree if you can. Then ask if they would like to collaborate on figuring out which is correct. This softens the blow; the person might have just been a hint collector and didn’t understand they needed to evaluate every hint. They might come to the same conclusion and thank you. OR they may argue with you that they are correct and you are wrong. Don’t get into a battle, because it will not be worth it. Just politely thank them for looking into the conflict and wish them much success in their future genealogy endeavors and move on.

Remember to pick your battles. We can’t fix everyone else’s trees. Ultimately, we need to concentrate on creating our tree as accurate as possible.