FamilyTreeNow.com Offers Up More Free Public Information

In the past, I've written about finding those living relatives using FamilyTreeNow.com. This is a 100% free site to use. In recent months, they've expanded the displayed information. For anyone born after 1920 or so, and who died after about 1980, or is still living, there's a reasonable chance of finding them on the site. I should point out this site only provides information about those in the United States. I certainly don't rely heavily on the specifics they provide, but I use it as something of a "confirmation tool".

Derived from public records, FamilyTreeNow.com typically shows a considerable amount of data. Not only does it display addresses, but other names a person has used, month and year of birth (critical to verifying you have the right person), possible phone numbers and email addresses, as well as potential family members and associates. These sections have been the backbone of their offering, and for most entries, you'll find this basic data.

I've noticed some additional enhancements recently. First, more entries show a Google map for the current address, and potentially property details. "Possible Primary Phone" has been added as well. They've also started indicating "Potential Spouse" in the Possible Relatives section. While some of these spouse suggestions have turned out to be helpful, I've also noted they don't necessarily distinguish between a current spouse and an ex spouse. In one person I spot checked, his ex-wife is listed as a possible spouse, and his current wife is simply shown as a possible relative. This definitely doesn't replace doing your own research....but it could provide breadcrumbs to work with when the trail is otherwise cold.

Today, I noticed they've added Employment History and Current Neighbors. In my own record, employment history was accurate. In the case of my ex, it's absolutely wrong! My current neighbors appeared fairly accurate. Historically, neighbors might have been worth knowing about. But today, this information is far less valuable (if it has any value at all). I don't really consider it useful, but who knows? Maybe someone out there has a need for it.

Not every entry has all of the more recent additions displayed. It seems to be hit or miss as of now. And while I value the potential information as a whole, I'm not about to take the time to enter so much unconfirmed data in my tree. I don't even print a copy to save. First off, the information changes as more public information becomes available. More importantly, there's too much room for error. Names may be conflated and there's no easy way to verify the accuracy of any of the data presented. I don't know about you, but when faced with unnecessary intrusive questions, I'm not beyond putting 555-1212 as a phone number or "123 Any Street" as an address (especially if I'm creating a login for a website I probably won't ever use again). Further, many people keep a "disposable" email they use specifically to avoid giving out their real email. This random information can and does show up. 

Still, I did create a source for FamilyTreeNow.com, on Ancestry, and I will link it solely to the person's name fact. At some point, for more recent relatives, I generally pop over and do a quick check to see if a person is on FamilyTreeNow.com. If I can find them, I save the link in my citation so I can refer back if I need to. That's the extent of what I choose to save from this site in my tree. You could also use Web Links on Ancestry, but those don't sync to Family Tree Maker, whereas a source will. 

Another valid reason to use the site is disproving records on Ancestry. Quite often, I come across public records where the given and surname appear correct, but there's no middle name the address seems a little off (the state may be okay, but maybe the city is one with no other known records). Most often, if I can find the person on FamilyTreeNow.com, I'll discover they have a completely different middle name. It's not a slam dunk for disproving, but I have found it useful quite a few times.

Final Thoughts: FamilyTreeNow.com is a tool, but one best used with an abundance of caution. Always keep the pitfalls in mind, and when in doubt "throw it out". Breadcrumbs can be valuable research starters, but relying solely on unverified public information is no better than copying without verifying.