I have only used Ancestry.com when they had free weekends. I couldn't find a lot of information so not worth it to me to subscribe. I also found lots of information just doing a search on the web. I am not familiar with Familysearch or GEDMatch or FamilyTreeDNA. I got linked to MyHeritage through 23andme. I haven't found it that useful.

You say, "I've found good web sites with good information and documentation. And almost everything was free to download or order. Much better deal than an ancestry subscription." Which sites are those?

I always cringe when I see people using sites like these. You are giving up so much of your private information. And the wide majority of users don't have any idea what they are using their information for or who they are selling it to.

I've been doing genealogy for maybe 12 years now. When I first started my dad and I would drive to local historical societies since many of his ancestors have been in Ontario since the 1800's. Or I'd head to the library (I lived in a large city). I've had a subscription to ancestry for a few years now and there is 100% info on there that I have not been able to find anywhere else. Actually today I just found a new document on there that related to one of my ancestors. He served in the British Army for 18 years starting in 1826. On his pension record (the document I found), it listed all the places he had served in. I did know he served in North America and Barbados since his children were born there, but found several other places as well. I've not only found historical documents but also old photos that other people have uploaded. We have almost no family photos so these are fantastic.

I don't have my family history on there or anywhere else online, but for people that do Lukkiirish, you don't have to have current info. Plenty of people have anyone living listed as private and even some that are deceased listed as private.

Editing to add: I should have said that I suspected he served in NA and Barbados since I never did find proof he was in the military before today. On the pension records it listed him as a Sergeant and areas served and on his enrollment papers it gave his height, eye color and hair color.

I sent hard copies to some of my relatives (aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, etc.) of my ancestors' trees by snail mail...eons ago. It is hard to believe that some of them haven't 'shared' at least some of this information on the net on some of the sites mentioned. But, then again, I never told any of them specifically NOT to. I just know that the less you put out there, the less that may come back to haunt you in the future. Doesn't mean that I'm totally paranoid about disseminating info, I just prefer to be a little prudent and/or selective about what I share.

The same holds true for some of the information you 'share' with other posters on this site.

I'm wondering.....who else thinks ancestry is trying to sell to familysearch?

Lindsey, please don't read my posts.

If you had simply asked, "who thinks Ancestry is trying to sell to FamilySearch," it would be one thing. But you went on to denigrate Ancestry.com. Apparently you have failed to notice that, so far, no one has posted an answer to your question.

Also, the title of this thread -- a title that YOU wrote -- is familysearch.org vs. ancestry.com -- not Who thinks Ancestry.com is trying to sell to FamilySearch.org?

I'm not talking about the public seeing information, I'm talking about the site collecting information. When people use these sites, any private information they divulge is often sold to a slew of different companies regardless of if it's marked private or public.

Yuuuuuup ^^^^ But, most of what they do with it is advertising, fairly harmless. Heck, google keeps data on your browsing habits too (unless you turn it off). As far as identity theft, the only way to really stop that is to have the credit bureaus freeze you and when you go to apply for a new loan or card you have to call all three and get a temporary thaw.

Lindsey, please stop this argument. My post. If you don't agree, stop participating. It's a free country, I can say anything I want. Why do you care what I think?

Oh, so sorry. I guess I missed the rule that says "the person who starts the thread owns it and can dictate who may or may not read it and contribute to it."

caflowerluver, I don't know if your question was rhetorical or serious, but here's a partial list of free or nearly free places.

I don’t know what you're looking for. Some of these links
will be to the specific page I was looking at but you should be able to find
the home page. Google is your friend. Sign up for any newsletters these sites
offer.

http://www.theancestorhunt.com/

https://news.google.com/newspapers?hl=en

https://www.elephind.com/?a=q&r=1&results=1&txf=txINtxCO&e=-------en-10--1--txt-txINtxCO-walworth%2c+wisconsin---------

http://shs.umsystem.edu/newspaper/mdnp/mdnptable.shtml

search for the historical society or the GENweb project for
individual localities http://www.usgenweb.org/states/index.shtml

http://crpubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/

http://www.newspaperlinks.com/where-to-find-and-access-records-of-old-newspapers/

https://eservices.archives.gov/orderonline/start.swe?SWECM=S&SWECmd=Login&SRN=&SWEHo=eservices.archives.gov&SWEFullRefresh=1&TglPrtclRfrsh=1

https://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/search.php?q=william+walker&showposts=0&s=&securitytoken=guest&do=process&contenttype=vBForum_Post&forumchoice%255B%255D=418&childforums=1&exactname=1

http://www.castlegarden.org/searcher.php

http://www.censusrecords.us/

http://www.censusdiggins.com/#Our Free Database Menu

http://ma-vitalrecords.org/

www.findagrave.com

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32490-16331-90?cc=2074276&wc=M9MG-LGM:n1779387919#uri=https%3A%2F%2Ffamilysearch.org%2Frecords%2Fcollection%2F2074276%2Fwaypoints

http://www.olivetreegenealogy.com/freedata.shtml
there is so much here you will get dizzy.

http://www.germanroots.com/databases.html

https://books.google.com/googlebooks/about/index.html

http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx

https://archive.org/

http://www.censusfinder.com/iowa-census-records5.htm

http://www.genealogytoday.com/guide/railroad-employees.html

http://www.werelate.org/wiki/Main_Page

http://www.thefamilyhistorystore.com/

http://www.mta.ca/marshland/pages/links.htm

http://www.americanancestors.org/index.aspx

http://www.jillsgenealogy.com/links/misc-genealogy-research-links.html

http://www.germangenealogygroup.com/records-search/deaths.php

http://www.theshipslist.com/pictures/wardsis.shtml

http://www.sos.mo.gov/categories.asp?id=4

http://www.genealogysearch.org/canada/novascotia.html

http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=1122-430&docClass=MW&sid=1euautj3.out

http://archive.org/stream/populationsc17900012unit#page/n107/mode/2up

http://www.germangenealogygroup.com/

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=29aug2012

http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/KeywordGenealogy

http://catalog.loc.gov/

http://www.genealogyintime.com/NewsStories/2012/Q1/top%20100%20most%20popular%20genealogy%20websites%20page3.html

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wjmartin/wm-w_21.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm

https://archive.org/stream/mayflowerherlogj00amesuoft#page/n35/mode/2up

http://mayflowerhistory.com/Passengers/WilliamLatham.php

https://books.google.com/books?id=F51pAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Manasseh+COOK%22+OR+%22Manasseh++COOK%22+OR+%22COOK,+Manasseh%22&dq=%22Manasseh+COOK%22+OR+%22Manasseh++COOK%22+OR+%22COOK,+Manasseh%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=dnAOUoTYGIOT2gWuwIGIDw&ved=0CFYQ6AEwCA

http://fultonhistory.com/Fulton.html

http://www.davidrumsey.com/home

My eyes have glazed just making this much of a list. If
there is a specific location you are looking for Google it. Wikipedia might
give you a hint of what else or where else to look. If you just blinked and
thought to yourself, this is too much! post an inquiry at the kitchen table and
we’ll all brainstorm.

I can't answer the question as to the sale because I don't know about that. I do find much of my Canadian history I can access through local historical societies, libraries and the vital records office. It's the pre-Canada records that are very difficult to get without either paying someone to get them or paying the individual databases which is far more expensive than the subscription I pay for. Like I mentioned yesterday though, the best part for me is the pictures.

This year I finally sent away for my husbands maternal grandparents death records. When it came from the records office, I popped onto ancestry and within a few hours I was able to find 4 generations further back from records all in one place. Then I put a search in for family trees and luckily found one that matched the grandmother's uncle. It had pictures of the grandmother's father and her gorgeous uncle. I like that it's all in one place and that I can print or save documents to my computer. I do think it's a lot of $, but no more so than what I'd spend in a year doing anything.

Unfortunately, Ancestry wouldn't be doing anything differently than many others by selling information. I've been an ancestry subscriber for many years and haven't experienced any problems (spam, solicitations, etc.) that I feel are connected to them. I, took, have moved my DNA results to FamilyTreeDNA. I don't know anything about a possible sale.

http://www.geneabloggers.com/tag/genealogy-bargains/

free stuff

My qestion was serious. Thanks for all the links. I am going to save them and check them out later.

I have more ;-) The rest are in folders according to location. If you aren't looking for Germany, no sense in giving you German sites. I'm on my old computer for the foreseeable future. Lights flickered and my "good" computer died. That one has the newer sites. But again, it all depends on country and state you need.

Wed May 20, 2015 8:09pm EDT ancestry for sale

http://lisalouisecooke.com/2015/05/ancestry-up-for-sale/

various other blogs and sites are quoting the reuter's article. Google gives lots of sites but they all quote the same article. That's a lot of money no matter who spends it.

Interesting article. Wow, that is a lot of money.