Putting my Genealogy Do-Over skills to the test

When I discovered the Genealogy Do-Over project, I decided to participate in Cycle 2, after lurking on Facebook during the later part of Cycle 1.

I wanted to start a fresh database which will be the only one for all of my lines instead of splitting my tree into several databases.  Over the years I found there was too many intermarrying between the various branches, or an allied family marrying into two different branches.  Which led to the dilemma as to which database do I enter their information and then cross references in the other.

When I started with Week 1 of Cycle 2 of the Genealogy Do-Over, I did set aside my genealogy research to do a complete start over.  However, I couldn't just sit on my hands and not start working on my new database.  And of course, I needed to use 'place holders' and enter basic information (ie names and undocumented birth/death dates) of ancestors to connect lines when entering names from obituaries, etc.  Rootsmagic does allow colour coding, so as I enter individuals who still need to be properly researched and documented, I mark them with a different colour (aqua) from what they will eventually be (green).  That way, I can at any time spot someone whose research has not yet been "finalized".

But now that I have "graduated" from the Genealogy Do-Over, it is time to put my newly honed (hopefully) skills to the test and concentrate on my direct lines instead of meandering along the collateral lines.

When I had started inputing information into the newly created database, I did start with myself and started working my way up the tree on my father's side.  When I reached my great-great-grandmother (Mary Ann Widdis), I went sideways and started researching siblings and their descendants.  She was from a large family and several of her siblings had large families.  Haven't finished working on those lines, but I'm getting antsy to work on my direct lines.  Since the branches I am abandoning for now are colour coded, I will be able to return to those individuals at some point in the future.

My guinea pig (and long time brick wall): James Widdis and Jane Thompson, the parents of Mary Ann Widdis.  Suggested death dates for James should have his death certificate available as part of the Ontario Death records available on both Ancestry and FamilySearch.  But earlies searches have not found him in the index on either site.  Although numerous Public Member Trees on Ancestry are consistent with their information, I believe the death date usually listed is incorrect and none of the trees document their facts - so there's no link to an image.  The couple also seem to be missing from the 1861 census.  I'm sure its just a matter of a bad transcription, but just how bad was the named mangled?  Cluster searching needs to be done, as well as a Research Log.