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Should I Subscribe to Ancestry World?

Hello,
I am new to genealogy research....just started researching my family last month. I have paid sub to ancestry US. I would like to know if you think sub. to the world edition will be worth the extra $. My husbands ggrandfather came to this country as a very young boy from Genoa, Italy....alone! Would it help in my research to have access to the World sub. We do not know his parents name.....just an approx birthdate...1840...for him.
Thanks,
Louise

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Katherine McArthur on August 31, 2009 at 3:54pm

I do agree you need to be careful what you accept from the internet. It's important to document your facts. If you are new to genealogy, the best thing is to get your US information first, which probably will take some time. After you learn more about how to do genealogy and about your family, such as specifically where in Italy and the date of an event, even if approximate, (more information anyway) that is when you should try to do research in foreign countries.
As for Family search most of the submitted material I view with skepticism, and only use it as a clue of where to look for information on the family. But in the IGI (International Genealogical Index) there are some extracted parish records, which I've found to be very helpful and valuable. But I make sure that is what they are. The source is listed at the bottom of the page and will say Extracted parish records.
It is frustrating to me as well when I see so many people just copy trees, especially the ones I know are in error, and some people think because they find that information in so many trees it must be true.
Whether to get the World subscription also depends on your family. I have been able to find a lot on my Canadian ancestors from it.

Permalink Reply by Sarah Coles on September 1, 2009 at 7:58am

Amen! Excellent post, Katherine.

Permalink Reply by Sue Pearson Greichunos on September 2, 2009 at 2:32pm

I totally agree with documenting each piece of information to one's Family Tree. Lately I've been researching in depth my Swedish ancestors and my Alabama Hill Family ancestors. With the former, Genline is where I've struck gold. I've found the actual church documents for births and marriages and household "census" information back three additional generations now and can add the specific GID No. as source documentation to my tree on Ancestry. I'd never pay for Ancestry World, which pulls information from the source country's archives, when I can subscribe to that country's online archives directly & use FreeTranslation.com or GenWise "Angels" to assist with uncertain words.
Regarding the latter, there is probably no more common name than "Hill" in Alabama. U.S. Ancestry has been helpful in this regard, and yes I have searched Public Member trees, but I fact-check any likely "hints" against written records from relatives, actual obituary copies obtained, oral history from relatives, etc. Unsourced names and dates are highly suspicious to me. I have to defend FamilySearch.org Pilot Record Search, however. Just today I located a death record via FamilySearch Pilot Record Search when I was unable to find it on Ancestry.com. It seems FamilySearch has online the Alabama Statewide Deaths 1908-1974, whereas Ancestry does not. And the date of death matches with the written record provided by a relative. I do NOT put any credence, however, in any pedigree info provided to FamilySearch.org by individuals. Thanks, good info.

Permalink Reply by Sarah Coles on September 2, 2009 at 3:22pm

Wow! Aren't you lucky, Sue, to find those church documents. I trust those more than just about anything other than maybe a family bible or diary. That's interesting you subscribe to a country's online archives. How do you go about that? Like you I take unsourced names and dates with a grain of salt. Isn't it just great though when you finally come up with some solid information you have been searching for maybe for years!

Permalink Reply by Betty Jo Blevins on September 1, 2009 at 4:16am

I've belong to Ancestry for several years now. I use the library in the town and they have a library edition that gives me information that the home edition doesn't. The cost has played the reason I've haven't joined the World Membership, too. On my mother's side I have ancestry from Wales, Ireland and England and my dad's is from Germany. My husband side if from Ireland. Good luck on your research. I'm still trying to find all the verification of those born in the US.

Permalink Reply by Sarah Coles on September 1, 2009 at 8:00am

That's interesting, Betty that you find the library edition different than the home version of Ancestry. I've never used the library one and am curious as to how they differ.

Permalink Reply by Louise Bernero on September 1, 2009 at 8:48am

I would also be interested to know the difference. Our library offers ancestry.....I had not considered that. Do they usually have access to the World edition?

Permalink Reply by Carol Lee Wittneben on September 3, 2009 at 12:20am

This is a Family Tree Magazine Note posted on Facebook

Notice that it says the NEHGS records will be part of Ancestry.com's World Archives Project. Even though this is the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) of the UNITED STATES, am I correct in believing that this statement says you will have to belong to Ancestry.com's World subscription (double the price of the US subscription) to access this?

Ancestry.com to Partner with NEHGS
September 02, 2009
At a reception it hosted tonight at the Federation of Genealogical Societies conference, Ancestry.com CEO Tim Sullivan and New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) marketing director Tom Champoux announced a new partnership.
NEHGS’ historical records, which Champoux says date back up to 400 years, will be part of Ancestry.com’s World Archives Project . The digitized records and their indexes will be accessible to subscribers of Ancestry.com or NewEnglandAncestors.org (NEHGS’ Web site).
The records to be digitized are as yet unspecified. (Sullivan was tight-lipped in general due to Ancestry.com’s pending IPO filing with the SEC.)
The records to be digitized are as yet unspecified. (Sullivan was tight-lipped in general due to Ancestry.com’s pending IPO filing with the SEC.)
We'll keep keeping you updated with conference news.

Permalink Reply by Sarah Coles on September 3, 2009 at 6:47am

Bingo! I wondered the same thing and it's one of the reasons I didn't renew my sub with NEGHS last year. I don't know if you have to have a World Sub or not. I thought their explanation was fuzzy. Good question. Maybe they will charge even more to have access to that info. Who knows?

Permalink Reply by Carol Lee Wittneben on September 3, 2009 at 10:40am

I think it should be included in the US Sub. After all it is New England not England. If it isn't then why designate US & World.

Permalink Reply by Sarah Coles on September 3, 2009 at 11:01am

My thoughts exactly. I'm sure not paying anymore than I already do which is really too much for the US Sub and as you say NEGHS is basically New England and not worldwide. The whole thing doesn't make too much sense. When I first heard about the fact that Ancestry was merging with NEGHS some 2 years ago I figured all the records on NEGHS would be available on Ancestry and that's not entirely the case either. Well, guess we'll just have to see how it pans out.