A Training Session for a Ward in Our Stake

On Sunday, my fellow Stake Consultant and I had a training session with the new Ward TFH Leader and the Consultants of one of the wards in our stake.

He gave training on recovering a forgotten FamilySearch user name or password. This is important because starting a new community-member  account would result in the loss of access to records of living people and to temple reservations entered in the previous account.  He recommended using the Church Membership Record Number to recover the username and reset the password, since it gives immediate results. And unlike a phone number or email address, it doesn't change over time. The CMRN is accessible from a temple recommend, Member Tools App, or from your Ward Clerk,

He also gave training on signing into FamilySearch as someone's Helper. This uses the Helper Number, which is usually the last 5 characters of the CMRN. I find this especially handy for checking the tree in advance when I plan to help someone.

I chose to focus on the monthly Family History Activity Report, accessible to certain leaders at the Ward, Stake and General levels, which focuses on a few simple things. 

1.. Number of members logging into FamilySearch.org during the year

2. Percentage of members connected to 4 generations of ancestors in FamilySearch Family Tree

3. Number of members printing an ordinance card to take to the temple. (compare 2020 and 2021)

4. Number of members:

a. Adding a name to Family Tree

b. Adding a memory to Family Tree

c. Number of members Indexing

1. You can usually sign in FamilySearch.org using the same USERNAME and PASSWORD that you use for ChurchOfJesusChrist.org and your Church apps. Those present in the training meeting had already accomplished this.

2. Approximately 30% of our stake are not connected to their deceased ancestors. Each person only needs to do this once. For members raised in the Church, this usually takes about 10 minutes, since FamilySearch already has records for their ancestors. I showed a 3 minute video of the process. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDTXfIXvxtM

3. The easy way to print an ordinance card for a deceased relative is to click the Temple menu on FamilySearch and click Ordinances Ready. Then choose what ordinance you wish, to print the cards. At the end of the 2-minute demo, the question was asked. "What if I want to print a card for all of the ordinances for an individual?" This can be done from your Temple Reservation List or from the Ordinances Tab on the Person Details page. But since temple cards are no longer returned, in most situations, Ordinances Ready is probably the better option.

4. a. Adding a name is usually done from a family tree View or the Person Details page of a parent, spouse or child. The blue Record Hint icons sometimes represent records that list additional family members. This is usually the easiest way to add names to Family Tree. 

4. b. A Memory can be added from the Memories tab of a Person Details page or from the main menu by clicking Memories, then Gallery. The FamilySearch Memories mobile app on your phone also works well and is especially handy for recording 5-minute audio clips. (I love the ability to create FamilySearch audio clips using my phone.)

4. c. Indexing is a key to making FamilySearch work. Indexing provides the blue icons that allow FamilySearch to do most of the research for you. FamilySearch recently finished digitizing all the microfilms in the Granite Mountain vault. Now these need to be indexed, to make them searchable by name. If you are interested in doing a little indexing each week, we can help you.

The Ward TFH Leader has already scheduled the next training meeting with us.

"Blue Hints": Adding People and Proving Your Pedigree

The blue icons in the FamilySearch Family Tree represent historical records that can serve as sources to prove your genealogy. Unlike Hints on sites such as Ancestry and MyHeritage, these are actual historical records, not merely guesses from someone else's family tree. In my experience, about 95% of FamilySearch Hints are for the right people. For the other 5%, we mark them as "Not a Match" and the blue icon disappears.

Not only do the hints provide evidence to support the Family Tree, but they can sometimes identify family members who are missing from the Family Tree. I find censuses especially useful for this purpose, but marriage records may identify the parents of the bride and groom, and various death and burial records may list the immediate family members. 

I have usually used the Recommended Tasks or the Landscape view of the Family Tree to find Hints. But three days ago I came across a demonstration by Robert Kehrer, of Family Search. It gives an extremely efficient way of finding source hints across 4 generations of a family at a time. See "Demo: Tips and Tricks for Attaching Records on FamilySearch"

1. Select an ancestor born about 1800
2. View the ancestor's tree
3. Change the Tree View to Descendancy view
4. Click Options to turn off portraits, research suggestions, and temple
5. Select 4 Generations.

Voila! You now have a list of all the ancestor's descendants for 4 generations, with all unattached Hints.

Then it is a simple matter of checking the Hints and attaching those that match. Note that one blue icon may indicate multiple historical records.

When you have finished, you can either choose an ancestor 4 generations further back on that line, or choose an ancestor on a different line. Or you can call it a day, and turn on the items you turned off previously.

Why start at 1800? This is because most historical records start in this time period. Look at the number of generations on that line; sometimes starting about 1850 might be better.

Robert Kehrer is the manager of the Searching and Hinting features in Family Tree. 

Church Completes Major Microfilm Digitization Initiative 21 Sept 2021

This marks the completion of digitizing (scanning) the 2;4 million  rolls of microfilm held by FamilySearch.

"The Church has been releasing millions of records online for years as they were digitized. Now that the project has been completed, the records of more than 11.5 billion people from around the world are accessible for millions of family history enthusiasts.

“[The records] are not all available today,” said [Joseph] Monsen, who explained that it will take time to index and publish the digital images. “A large percentage of these are available today on FamilySearch.org and the rest of them are in process to end up there as well.”

"Over 200 countries and principalities and more than 100 languages are represented in the documents. Completion of the project also makes it easier for Latter-day Saints and others to increase family discoveries. ..."

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I encourage you to read the full article at:
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/church-completes-major-microfilm-digitization-initiative

And watch the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK4sbCXzRdY

Thank you Brother Rick Neiman of Spruce Grove Ward for bringing this to my attention.
This is a wonderful time to be serving in Temple and Family History.

I invite you all to share this information. Thanks for helping us to stay informed.

Bill Buchanan

What is a Family History Center? What is in the Research Portal?

What is a Family History Center?
Any stake, ward, or branch can designate a room as a ‘family history room” but that does not make it a “Family History Center”, even if it has a dozen computers that can access FamilySearch.org.

What is the Difference?
A Family History Center is an official node of the Family History Library network, but a “family history room” is not. The access levels are different.

Availability of Online Resources?
Only the computers registered to an official Family History Center have access to the resources in the Research Portal. And depending on contracts negotiated by FamilySearch, certain digitized records are only available on an official FHC computer. Additionally, some software is licensed for use on the FHC computers only. Other computers (even patron laptops in a FHC) will not have that level of access.

Support and Inventory Control
The FHC computers are typically provided by FamilySearch Support and can be monitored and remotely updated by FamilySearch technicians. Inventory control is very simple. In contrast, one stake purchased laptops to be loaned to a few key TFH personnel. One of these laptops was soon lost. This seems inevitable. If FHCs are kept locked when not in use, inventory control is much easier. FHC computers also avoid many password issues that are common in other situations.

Availability of Trained Helpers
Every ward should have Temple and Family History Consultants who are capable of helping members use FamilySearch. Typically, FHC staff are better-trained than most ward consultants. Wasted time when there is no one to help? Use the Portal or do other productive activities.

Difficulty Getting Permission
Unless FamilySearch policy has changed very recently, no new FHC will be approved within 45 minutes travel from an existing FHC. So a typical city can have one FHC now. If the burden of maintaining an FHC is too great for any one stake, would a regional FHC be possible? If small towns can maintain an FHC, why not a large city?

Space Requirements
Microfilms and film readers are old technology and probably not needed any more, Without them, the space required by the FHC is minimal. During the years I served in this FHC, at the end of the shift we locked the sliding curtain that protected the computers. So no floor space was needed by the computers, but the microfilm readers were another matter entirely, They were big, awkward, and needed to be moved at the start and end of the shift. And the readers broke down frequently and parts were hard to get. 

Community Outreach and Missionary Work
Classes and community projects in an FHC bring non-members into our chapels. They do lots of research that benefits their member cousins and their shared ancestors. And some become converts.

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What is in the Research Portal?

You must access the premium subscription websites from a family history center computer through the Family History Center Services Portal. If you try to access them with the links below, the websites require an individual subscription. (list last updated 1 Feb 2019)

The 19th Century British Library Newspapers digital archive—https://www.bl.uk/collection-guides/newspapers

This fully searchable database of the British Library's newspaper holdings provides a complete run of 48 national and regional Victorian British newspapers for the 19th century from 1800 to 1900. These support the study of colonial history, genealogical research, politics, urban studies, and media courses.

Alexander Street Press, American Civil War—http://alexanderstreet.com/

Research Data: Contains indexed, searchable information on over 4 million soldiers and thousands of battles, together with 15,000 photographs. http://asp6new.alexanderstreet.com/cwdb/

Letters and Diaries: Contains approximately 100,000 indexed pages of diaries, letters, and memoirs, including 4,000 pages of previously unpublished manuscripts, such as the letters of Amos Wood and his wife and the diary of Maryland planter William Claytor. http://solomon.cwld.alexanderstreet.com/

Images, Photographs, Posters, and Ephemera: Provides a vivid history of the American Civil War with over 1,400 images. http://cpho.alexanderstreet.com/

Social and Cultural History: Personal accounts of well-known historical figures.

Women and Social Movements in the United States: Organized around the history of women in social movements in the United States between A.D. 1600 and 2000.

American Ancestors—http://www.americanancestors.org/

Advance your family history research today with AmericanAncestors.org! Created by the expert staff at the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS), America's founding genealogical organization, AmericanAncestors.org is the portal to the nation's leading resource for the highest-quality, comprehensive family history services. Consult with our expert staff, some of the most respected genealogists in the profession. Read the most significant original scholarship and important publications in genealogy. Access millions of exclusive and sought-after records online. Learn with in-depth online courses and webinars from expert staff. Explore the largest collection of original family history research materials in America.

Ancestry.com—http://www.ancestry.com/

Ancestry gives you access to thousands of collections of records from around the world, including immigration, census, voter, vital, and military records; newspapers and periodicals; family trees; photos and images; directories, maps, court records, land records, wills and financial records, stories, memories, and histories; and detailed records about births, marriages, deaths, land ownership, and much more. Ancestry is the largest for-profit genealogy company in the world.

​ArkivDigital Online

ArkivDigital is the largest private provider of Swedish Church Records and other historical records online! All images are newly photographed color images of the original documents. Click the link from the Premium Family History Websites page to use ArkivDigital Online

FamNet—http://www.nzgdb.co.nz/

The online family history network for those who have New Zealand roots.

findmypast—http://www.findmypast.co.uk/

findmypast makes it easy to research your United Kingdom ancestry and create your family tree. Search census records, and trace births, marriages, and deaths to bring your family history to life. Please note that not all of the content from findmypast is available in family history centers.

1911 British Census (access through the findmypast website)—The 1911 United Kingdom census is a record of everyone who lived in England and Wales in 1911. It provides a unique snapshot of the lives of those who lived at that time.

Fold3 (formerly Footnote.com)–http://www.fold3.com/ [I think this is limited to FHCs in the USA]

Search or browse millions of historical documents and photos. Fold3 has refocused their efforts on gathering the best online collection of military records and stories. The Fold3 name reflects military history and honor, since traditionally, the third fold in a flag-folding ceremony honors and remembers veterans for their sacrifice in defending their country and promoting peace in the world.

Geneanet—http://geneanet.org

With 3 billion referenced individuals and 600,000 trees online, Geneanet is the first site dedicated to genealogy in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Germany. The Geneanet community has 2 million members who exchange genealogical information.

The Genealogist—http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk

This resource, available in centers in the United Kingdom only, contains English parish records, directories, census, civil registration, surname mapping, and selected army and navy lists.

Kinpoint Premium—https://kinpoint.com

Kinpoint is designed to make it easier for you to do your family history. It lets you see what to work on at a glance, helps you quickly find missing information in your family tree, and helps you discover insights into the lives of your ancestors.

MyHeritage—Library Edition—http://myheritagelibraryedition.com/research

Used by millions of people worldwide to help research family history, build a family tree, and add photos, historical records, and more.

Newspapers.com--https://newspapers.com/ The largest online newspaper archive contains 12,100 newspapers from the 1700s to the 2000s, and millions of additional pages are added every month. 

Paper Trail—https://www.paper-trail.org

Provides access to 19th-century westward American migration documents.

Puzzilla—https://puzzilla.org Premium Services. 

Find new research opportunities on descendant lines in Family Tree.

Notes and troubleshooting

If your center is not able to access the premium family history websites, click Premium Family History Websites from the Family History Services Portal home page. Scroll down, and follow the instructions under "No Website Access."

If a premium site prompts for sign-in credentials but other premium sites don't, clear your browser cookies. Close the browser, and then restart the computer, and try again.

Family history center consultants can help you access the center's Family History Center Portal, where you can access these premium family history websites.

If you need help as you use one of the websites, please contact their help desk directly.

Welcome to September, and Indexing Hints

I hope you have had a rewarding summer. I am looking forward to autumn. This is a season of harvests, but also new beginnings, as the children return to school. It is a good time to resume your ward's Temple and Family History coordinating meetings, as you plan for the new season. 

This is also the time of year when public libraries etc, tend to look for interesting programs to offer for the public. If your ward is interested in offering a family history event to your community, maybe talk to your local library to see if they would like to help.

INDEXING
A new Indexing project that is easy is "United States—Enlisted and Officer Muster Rolls and Rosters, 1916–1939 [Part J]" 

Basically it asks for the Surname and Given names of the soldiers, plus the military Month, Day and Year. If two dates are given, use the earliest. In my experience, the enlistment date is usually missing so we use the date at the top of the page. The form also asks for the Birthplace and Age, which are not given on the image, and so they should be marked Blank. Sometimes the page image lacks the date and you need to flip back a page or two in the "reference images" to find it. 

In my latest indexing video I mention a very useful tip to use when there are multiple records/entries on the same image. Use Ctrl+D to ditto the contents from the previous line. Unfortunately, it sounds almost like I am saying "Ctrl+B"

Remember that Ctrl+B marks a field as Blank,
Ctrl+U marks a field as Unreadable.
Ctrl+D will Ditto contents from the previous line, which saves a lot of time and work.
(On a Mac, use Command instead of Ctrl.)

The COVID pandemic remains a problem in many areas, so access to the temple may be limited, and Family History Centers may be temporarily closed, Please check with your intended destination before traveling to either one. (To book a session at the temple, Select a temple, click Schedule Now, and follow the prompts, A light blue circle in the calendar indicated that your selected temple is open on that date, a dark blue circle indicates that sessions are available to be scheduled.) 

The work moves forward, Patrons can be helped to link to their ancestors, make reservations, and upload Memories, and do research, sourcing and indexing. And they can use the Activities page to find activities that can make family history more meaningful for their families. If they are having trouble booking a temple session you can help them. They can also phone the temple for help.

Bless you for your service to others.

Moving Beyond Record Hints: Your First Steps in Original Research

I am still finding interesting sessions from RootsTech Connect 2021 that I had not seen before.

I recently found this 3-part presentation by Jenny Hansen, an AG specializing in Scandinavian research, If you are interested in research suggestions, you might want to look at these. The descriptions below are from her presentations.

Many of us start our genealogical research by looking at pedigree charts compiled by someone else. We also quickly learn how to follow record hints from our favorite genealogy websites. But what comes next? In this video, Moving Beyond Record Hints: Your First Steps in Original Research, Part 1, we'll break down important next steps to continue along your research journey.
Moving Beyond Record Hints: Your First Steps in Original Research, Part 1 

In Moving Beyond Record Hints: Your First Steps in Original Research, Part 2, we discuss using basic records to learn more about family history. Family records, oral interviews, timelines, and missing information can all help provide more insight into your ancestors' lives. Moving Beyond Record Hints: Your First Steps in Original Research, Part 2 

Most of us start our genealogical research by looking at pedigree charts compiled by someone else. We also quickly learn how to follow record hints from our favorite genealogy websites. But what comes next?  This lecture will introduce principles for solid original research.  This class, Moving Beyond Record Hints: Your First Steps in Original Research, Part 3, focuses on new terms, charts, forms, and basic records used to extend a family line as new research begins. Moving Beyond Record Hints: Your First Steps in Original Research, Part 3 

Why are some records only viewable in a Family History Center (which are closed for COVID19)?

I received this question yesterday, and I thought that the answer might be of general interest.

Whenever possible, FamilySearch makes records accessible to everyone who has a free FamilySearch account.

Due to contractual obligations, there are a few records that are only accessible in a Family History Center (or the Family History Library in Salt Lake City). Covid was not a consideration when these contracts were negotiated with the owners of these records. So for now, these records are not accessible.

Some other records are accessible when signed in FamilySearch with a church-member account, (If the Temple menu is visible these records are accessible. If the Temple menu is not visible, neither is this class of records.) 

Other than that, some records may be visible in Ancestry, when using a free church-member Ancestry account. Likewise for other FamilySearch partner organizations, since they have their own contracts with other organizations. 

FamilySearch tries to negotiate the best access possible to records that we do not own.  

This information was current as of April. I have not heard of any changes since.
I am sorry that I do not have better news at this time.

Bill

Experiencing Joy in Our Calling

 President Spencer W. Kimball said that whatever our calling in the Church, most of us need occasional reassurance that our service is acceptable. We don’t need flattery, just an assurance that what we are doing is acceptable to the Lord and to those he has placed in charge of our efforts.

When serving as Temple and Family History consultants and leaders, we may need to be accomplishing something every week in order to feel that reassurance from our Heavenly Father.

I would suggest that each of us with these callings spend at least 2 hours per week actively serving in our calling. In the process, we will “learn by doing”. What can we be doing to prepare to help others?

1. Four-Generations – Firstly, make sure that in the FamilySearch Family Tree, you are connected to your deceased ancestors. You will need to create new records for living ancestors who are missing. If you are married, do the same for your spouse.

2. Temple Submissions and Temple Attendance – This is mostly paused during COVID19, until temples return to Phase 3 of operation. With 4-generations in your pedigree, Ordinances Ready has a chance to find your deceased relatives who qualify for temple ordinances.

3. Memories – Preserve old family stories and photos for future generations in FamilySearch Memories.

4. Research – This may allow you to add additional generations to your pedigree in Family Tree, or add missing spouses and children. The blue Record Hints can be an easy way to do this. Unfortunately, time spent on research does not guarantee success, but if your time permits, the next thing does…

5. Indexing – Many FamilySearch records exist only on microfilm or digital images. Indexing makes them searchable by computer. It also provides the Historical Record hints that we see as blue icons. Each hour spent indexing will move this work forward.

Regardless of our circumstances, if we have a calling in Temple and Family History, we should be able to do a little indexing every week. In my experience, the key to success is finding an indexing project that you enjoy, and sticking with it until it is ready for publication in FamilySearch Historical Records.

Ultimately, these activities will prepare us to help others, especially those turning 12, new converts, those returning to activity in the Church, friends, and others recommended by our Ward Council. These can be discussed in the ward’s regular Temple and Family History coordinating meeting.

President Russell M. Nelson is doing his part to hasten the work of salvation. Twenty new temples were recently announced. The Lord is depending on us to do our part. Thank you for your service. May we experience joy in our calling!

Bill Buchanan
Stake Temple and Family History Consultant

FamilySearch Orientation

I created this document for a family history orientation. It has no official status, but may still be useful. 

Proposed Family History Orientation by Bill Buchanan for 24 March 2021

1. Why is it important? Family history and temple work can strengthen the family relationships and testimonies of the living, and help the dead to redeem themselves through faith in Jesus Christ.

2. Of the hundreds of family history websites, FamilySearch.org is the only one where you can reserve temple ordinances and print temple cards for your ancestors and their descendants. This can be be done in a web browser or the Family Tree mobile app from FamilySearch.

3, Ordinances Ready in the Temple menu of the website or app allows you to reserve temple ordinances and print temple cards in about 10 minutes. Where does it find related people needing ordinances?
a. Firstly, in your list of reserved ordinances, then
b. in the ordinances reserved by others and shared with the temple, then
c, related people whose ordinances have not been reserved, then
d. unrelated people whose ordinances have been shared with the temple.
For it to find related people, you need to be connected to previous generations in Family Tree.
At the worst, it will provide unrelated people, just like cards the temple would give you.
Note that these cards are intended to be used within 90 days, or they expire.

4. Research expectations: How far back can you trace your ancestry in historical records? It varies.
In Europe, records of common people rarely go back to the 1500's, Hereditary titles of nobility and royalty can sometimes go back much further, Records of Chinese nobility (jaipu) can go back into centuries BC. But in some parts of the world, written records start in the 1900s.
The FamilySearch Research Wiki (Familysearch.org > Search > Research Wiki) can tell you what records are available for the country you are interested in,

5. In RootsTech Connect 2021, Robert Kehrer, of FamilySearch, explained that Family Tree now uses Indexing data to find records of your ancestors and their families, He estimates that 70%-80% of these records will be suggested as Hints (blue icons) in Family Tree. The Search function is for the other 20%-30%, These Hints often contain records that list other family members, that you can add to Family Tree. The Hints can be found in many places, such as the Tree View, Person Details page, and the Recommended Task list on the home page. Needed temple ordinances can also be found there.

6. FamilySearch.org Memories, and the Memories mobile app are excellent places for preserving photos, documents, stories, and even short audio clips of your family. It can help your family members to connect to their ancestors on a more personal level. Stories of people's lives can be more engaging than a collection of dates and places. FamilySearch (The Genealogical Society of Utah) has been preserving family histories since 1894, so it is a safe place to store your family history treasures.

7. The Search menu:
Records: 8 billion Historical Records can be searched within Family Tree or separately from here.
Genealogies: These are individual family trees submitted by patrons, but separate from Family Tree.
Catalog: The Family History Library catalog can be searched here
Books: Many thousand historical books can be searched
Research Wiki: This lists the records available for various countries and how to access them.

8. Indexing makes historical records searchable by computer. You can help in a few minutes each day.

There is no official users manual, but see: https://www.thefhguide.com/project-1-family-tree.html

Continue to Enjoy RootsTech!

 Unlike previous years, the presentations will remain online throughout the year at www.rootstech.org

Try doing searches on things that are of special interest to you. And try looking for them on youtube.com using RootsTech as part of your search terms. Think of RootsTech, not as an event, but as a year-long process of gathering helpful information and honing your skills.

Personally, I have focused on tools, techniques, and purposes. I have enjoyed countless productive hours using the free index to British births, marriages and deaths. Freebmd.org.uk A presentation on this topic gave me better ways to use this tool. The same can be said of other tools such as a free account with Ancestry, findmypast or MyHeritage.

For a long time I have been looking for Mary Lanxton, who married my ancestor John Ing in 1747. One presentation suggested using the new Guided Research tool in the FamilySearch Wiki. I found Mary's christening in the right time and place using a different spelling, Mary Langston. This listed her parents as Thomas Langston and Ann. Then I found the marriage of Thomas Langston and Ann Levins in the right time and place.
This was wonderful!

Many of the presentations were about preserving and sharing family stories. I realize that any stories I fail to share may be lost to future generations. I discovered that by using Zoom with Chrome and Google Maps, I could create a movie of the journey of my Buchanan family from the small rural district of Binnawooda in Ireland to Canada, and then across Canada. For a shorter demo, see: https://youtu.be/U_pFgc8muLs

To create a video in Zoom, start a New Meeting for yourself, Share your Desktop and use Alt+R to record your voice and your screen, When you end the meeting, you should see a progress bar as Zoom saves your video in MP4 format. If you use Windows, the video should be found in the most recent Zoom folder in Documents. It will be called zoom_0.mp4 Move it and rename it, enjoy it and share it with your family. I love to find new uses for familiar tools!

Family history research has changed! Robert Kehrer (Senior Manager for FamilySearch Searching and Hinting) said “Hints find 70%-80% of the Indexed historical records for your ancestor. Search is for the other 20%-30%,” (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n27-ZbQr34I ). To help the hinting system, add an estimated date and place of birth if these are missing from an ancestor, and include alternate versions of the name, where appropriate. (Hint and Search also use the alternate names.)

Starting A Family Tree

This short video from RootsTech shows the process of creating a family tree on FamilySearch. It may be useful if you are working with beginners.

Or use this link. Note that I have no control over other videos that Youtube may suggest.

Training New T&FH Leaders and Consultants

 As we were planning some Zoom training for newly called T&FH staff, these items were suggested to me and I think it is a helpful list.

1) download zoom software at ...zoom.us 

     Know how to schedule zoom meetings (I suggest turning off the "waiting room" feature, which can leave participants stranded.)

2) be familiar with screen share option, so you can do it quickly and easily. (Remember that the meeting host needs to enable it by clicking the arrow beside Share Screen, then select the option to let all participants share screens.)

3) login...resetting user name or password (The Membership Number option is best for members, as it does not depend on email or a mobile phone number.)

4) using the 'help others' tab to access a tree for someone else (You can use either the Username option or the Name and birth date option. This lets you view their tree before the training session, so that you are prepared.)

5) being able to access the hidden menu for training on your calling (You can do this from Help Others > Try the Planner or else Help/? icon > Helper Resources.)

6) being familiar with various colored icons and what to do with them in the Tree Views. (Note the Options menu on the right hand side for a Legend.)

7) accessing the recommended tasks on the title page (This can show Record Hints or Temple Opportunities, or Both. I like it as an easy way to find research information provided by Indexing work.)

8) knowing how to merge and resolve duplicates (Merging duplicates is central to the goal of one record per person. If you are unsure they are duplicates, don't merge them. Don't be surprised if duplicate people have duplicate family members, who also need to be merged.)

9) knowing how to use the partner access sites (Members can use  familysearch.org/partneraccess to sign up for FREE accounts with Ancestry, MyHeritage, findmypast and other commercial partners of FamilySearch. Be sure to keep a record of the usernames and passwords.)

10) research tools (On the righthand side of any Person Details page, you should see the ability to quickly search FamilySearch and partner sites to which you are subscribed.)

11) changing the language on familysearch.org (In some situations you may need to access FamilySearch on another of the 30 available languages. At the bottom of most pages, click ENGLISH and then select the language you want.)

12) how to print a name to take to the temple ...Ordinances Ready option (In the top menu, click Temple, then Ordinances Ready, and select the cards you want printed. You can have the cards you need in 5-10 minutes. You will have 90 days to complete the work.)

13) how to link deceased ancestors to a tree (FamilySearch protects the privacy of living people by hiding them, except to the person who created these records. As a result, you may not see your parents, spouse or children in Family Tree. If they are missing, you can create records for them for your personal use. This is most useful, if your living ancestors are missing and you want to connect yourself to their deceased ancestors. In this case, add the living ancestors as a "bridge" to connect to the deceased ancestors.)

14) how to add a memory and pix including profile pix (This can be done from the Person page by clicking Memories and selecting the photo, document, inputting a story, or uploading a 5-minute audio clip. To add a portrait photo, click the silhouette beside the name and click Add portrait. Portraits and audio recordings can be done more easily using the mobile app.)

Thanks Les,

These were excellent suggestions!

Learning Research Lessons the Hard Way

Several years ago, the 1851 census of England became available online. I was eager to find the family of my ancestor James Forsbury in this census. Up to this point I had the names of the family members, but the details were fuzzy. The 1851 census said that they were from Rogate, Sussex, (not Reigate, Surrey, as said in the 1861 census). I had been looking in the wrong place! 

I quickly found them in Rogate, Sussex, including the christening of an older son, who had emigrated to Australia and disappeared. A Google search found an old message board posting from Australia asking for information about him. I replied to the message and received 150 years of detailed history of his descendants. And in return, I was able to provide 150 years of history on my branch of the family. My Australian cousins and I still celebrate this breakthrough! 

During the past year, another breakthrough allowed me to trace my Forsbury ancestors back for six more generations, and reserve their temple ordinances. What a blessing!

Sometimes, we go as far as we can at that time, but if we try again a few years later, we may have additional records and additional techniques that allow us to go further. In this situation, I was confining my search to Sussex, where James was born and christened. Online maps are my friend. My breakthrough occurred when I looked for his father's christening across the county line in Hampshire, Again I had been looking for the right people in the wrong place! 

It seems that I need to learn the same lesson multiple times. 😀

RootsTech Connect 2021

 

Important Upcoming Events

FEBRUARY 25-27, 2021 ROOTS TECH CONNECT

Join the world’s largest family celebration for free to unlock your family’s history and learn how to preserve and share the stories of your life - all from the comfort of your home and in your browser. www.rootstech.org is co-sponsored by the Church. Get ready to celebrate shared connections with people from around the world. Connect with friends, your family, your past, and your heritage and homelands.

I have seen RootsTech described as "Part conference and part rock concert, with something for everyone." I expect about 200 classes and activities, and if you miss some at the times, most of them will be recorded for access later.

FEBRUARY 25, 2021 FAMILY HISTROY LEADERSHIP TRAINING

Elders Bednar, Stevenson, & Renlund (Quorum of the 12 Apostles) will host training for Ward/Stake leaders and members with missionary or temple & family history callings and responsibility. On-demand viewing will be available starting Thurs. Feb 25 at www.churchofjesuschrist.org/family-history or www.churchofjesuschrist.org/broadcasts.

A recording of the training will be available in the Gospel Library soon after the event.