Genealogy- problem with my family tree needs solving if anybody can?

Question

Am having problems finding the parents of my 5x g grandfather, James Spry. James Spry b. abt 1782 Pyworthy, Devon, d. abt 1871 Stratton, Cornwall. Married 28 Jan 1813 to Philippa Frayn(e). She was b 1793 Trewen, Cornwall and d 1880 Stratton.

A relative of mine says James' parents are John Spry b. 1758 North Tamerton, Cornwall and married Elizabeth Westlake b. 1767 Boyton, Cornwall. They married 24 Sept 1876 in North Tamerton. Relative has the DOB for the above James as being 1793 and they got this info from here: http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=ancestorsearchresults.asp

My problem with Elizabeth/John being James' parents is I have all the census returns for James and wife. They all say he was born around the date that I have - 1782 and also being born in Pyworthy/Devon.

Can somebody please tell me if my relative is right with their results? How can I find out who James' parents are as this has been driving me nuts for ages now?

Answer 1

Many of the 'trees' at familysearch (or anywhere else!!) contain errors.. for the simple reason that they are not RECORDS, as people think, but estimates, or simply someone else's research.  I see a lot of "it must be right, it came from the LDS church".. without realizing that submitted family information is NOT verified by the church.  

Here is the exception.. the church went to great lengths to transcribe parish registers.  Those dates are based on a factual record, not estimated.

Having all the census returns for your man.. your birth date is more likely.  If possible.. you might also compare 1782 to any known births of children.  For instance.. someone born in 1782 is probably going to have eldest child born 20 yrs laster.  Thus.. if oldest child is KNOWN born 1802.. it supports the 1782 date, but clear conflict with 1793.  

Dates for John and Elizabeth are workable for your man, even if born 1782 and not 1793. I think you meant 1776 for the marriage.    My question would be WHAT record was used originally, to link James, as being son of John and Elizabeth??  Your relative (apparently) does not have an original source.. someone else's research is not a record, UNLESS the person took the time to form that conclusion on some document, etc.  Your birth date is based on documents.. even if there are errors possible, it is a document, not someone else's estimate.

The hardest thing in genealogy can be conflicting information..  especially if you have made the effort to get valid proof, and the other person has built their info on assumptions.

Answer 2

You need  a search of the Church baptism records of Pyworthy and North Tamerton. That says who the Father is, that long ago doesn't always name the Mother.

Just as a matter of interest, I am researching both the Sprys and the Frayn(e)s. My G x3 Grandmother, Elizabeth Spry, was baptised at Bradford, a nearby parish to Pyworthy. Unfortunately there were two baptised within a couple of years of each other, in 1798 and 1800, and I shall at some stage be going through Church records to see if can identify which one it is. There were a lot of Sprys in the adjoining parishes of Bradford and Black Torrington. One prominent family name is Shadrick Spry. Ring any bells?

My mother-in-law was a Frayn, from Egloskerry, an adjoining parish to Trewen. I am trying to find the connection. I am sure there must be one, as there were a lot of blacksmiths in both families.

I wouldn't rely too much on the entries on Family Search. It is a good place to start enquiries, but you have to let it be a guide to where you start looking to verify your information.  There are some wildly incorrect details on there for some of my family, and I don't know how to get it corrected, even though I have the documentary evidence.

Where are you? I am on the Devon/Cornwall border, so occasionally go to the Local History libraries for Devon and Cornwall, with the Church registers. Due to family problems  won't be able to get there in the near future, but hope to when winter comes. I shall be examining the Pyworthy registers, as another branch of the family comes from there.

A lot of Cornish census and Church register information is being put on the internet. Most census info is on there, but not much Church info yet, but it is gradually happening.

I have tried to imput an e-mail address so that you can contact me, but probably I'm not computer literate enough to do it, or the Yahoo refurbishment is stopping me. Am on Genes Reunited under my daughter's name if you want to search Elizabeth Spry 1798 of Bradford, Devon.

Answer 3

To verify records before national recording of BMD started (1837) you will need to look at parish records. If you live too far from the place your ancestors came from you can sometimes obtain these on loan through the Family History Libraries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). Some parish records are on the familysearch website, but not all of them. Some parishes would not let the church microfilm their records, so you would have to go to the original parish in these instances.

Just as the records submitted by private individuals to familysearch are not always accurate, the census records are not always accurate either. It depended on the person recording the information given to them verbally, often by people who could not write (so didn't know how to spell their name) or who had no idea of their actual age. Also, some of the writing on the census returns is difficult to read and has sometimes been transcribed wrongly on the Ancestry website. Wherever possible it is best to go to the original records. Family History can never be done accurately for free, no matter how many people or websites try to convince you of it! It is a "labour of love" and if you love to do it you will find a way to afford it even if it takes a very long time. Good luck!

Answer 4

Ok The link doesn't work and the question is worded wierd. Anyways it sounds like your census doesn't agree with family information or family search. Let me tell you one thing. Kudos to you for wanting proof. I recently learned that people on familysearch.org put up information without proof. So i would suggest you if you havn't already get an ancestry account. Go to community. Type in the information needed. Then you get a serious answer to people with your relatives(maybe). Some people on ancestry have a ton of proof. So just reach for the stars and if something ever clashes then follow the government documents. For more help contact me through my profile page.