Removing a child from an incomplete duplicate parental relationship

 This is the situation where a child is listed twice (with the same ID):

The child is shown once with both parents and once with just one parent, as illustrated below. Note that Henry Crockford is listed twice with the same ID.

If the ID of the "single" parent or the child differs from the ID of the corresponding person in the couple relationship, merge the duplicates.

If the child is still shown additionally with a "single" parent, the easy solution is to click the edit icon to the right of the child shown with only one parent. Then remove the child from that relationship. And the box for the "single" parent should disappear when the screen is refreshed.

Sometimes you can solve the problem by adding the missing parent, but frequently it will bring up an error message saying that the relationship already exists. In my experience, removing the child from the incomplete relationship always works. 

As you help others with family history, you will often encounter this issue. And if you know the process, it can be solved in a couple of minutes.

Merging - Reason statements now provided

I love this recent change!

You can still create your own reason statement, but now, there are four pre-written that you can choose from. (Just click the ADD link on the one you wish to use.) They are well written, and show four different levels of confidence.

It speeds up and simplifies the merging process. This is especially welcome when there are many "possible duplicates" that need to be reviewed one-by-one.

Preserving your Memories

The Genealogical Society of Utah was organized by the Church in 1894, and it has been preserving genealogical records ever since then. Its newest version, FamilySearch, makes it easy to preserve genealogies, but also precious memories that go beyond dates, places and histories. I love this!

For decades I have been gathering old family photos and other things that add dimensions to the history. FamilySearch gives me an easy place to preserve these for future generations.

This applies to the Familysearch.org website and also the FamilySearch Family Tree and Memories mobile apps, available for free at your favorite mobile app store.

How do I upload photos or documents to Memories?
You can go to Familysearch.org and click Memories and select Gallery. You can upload photos or documents, either as a single item or as a group of multiple items. (In my experience, it works best if you keep each group size smaller than 40 items.)

Individual files must be smaller than 15MB, and each record in Family Tree can have 1000 "memory" files attached.

Photos supports .jpg, .png, .tif, and .bmp file formats.
Note: You can import photos from your accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and Google Photos into FamilySearch memories. During the import process, you can import them all or choose specific photos.

Documents supports .pdf file and the accepted photo formats. (Other document formats such as .doc and .docx files will need to be converted to .pdf before they can be uploaded. To convert other file formats to .pdf, use the Print or Export function in appropriate software. For example, to create a .pdf copy in Windows open the file and  choose as the Destination printer "Microsoft print to PDF"). Documents created this way can be hundreds of pages in length, which is the ideal way to create multi-page documents. PDF supports fancy layouts, multiple-columns, embedded photos and charts, etc. It produces a faithful copy of the document that is "printed to PDF".

Stories is specifically a text-only format. NOTE: The data-entry form can "time-out", so composing a story in your word processor and pasting the text into the data-entry form works best. Photos can be attached to a text Story, but they cannot be embedded in the text (something that PDF does beautifully).

Audio can be done using your computer's microphone, but it is much, much simpler using the FamilySearch Memories app on your phone. 15MB gives you at least 5 minutes of recording time. So it works best for special occasions rather than lengthy interviews. (Using the free Audacity software on my computer I have recorded as much as 20 minutes of sound in 15MB, but it required a lot of extra effort.) Audio is great for recordings of people telling brief stories of special events in their lives. My Grandma passed way over 30 years ago but I can still hear her voice on FamilySearch. Note that audio supports the .mp3, .m4a and .wav file formats.


Tagging means attaching a memory file to someone's record in Family Tree. Without tagging, nothing is connected. Uploading without tagging accomplishes nothing.

Please exercise wisdom. The Memory items should be in good taste and must conform to the Submission Policy.
NOTE: Photos that include weapons, partial nudity or kissing on the mouth, may be rejected, as violating the cultural norms in some parts of the world. And the software that automatically screens the photos sometimes makes mistakes. If it happens to you, reply to the automatic email from FamilySearch and explain why you feel that the photo conforms to the policy. I have uploaded 2223 memory items so far and I occasionally experience this issue.

"A picture is worth a thousand words" is often an understatement!

If you need help using your camera, scanner, or printer, that Google cannot answer, I may be able to help. genealogistbuchanan@gmail.com

Additional instructions for uploading can be found here.

Bill

Easy Sourcing

In FamilySearch Family Tree, I think everyone likes official documents as sources, because they provide strong evidence. Occasionally someone gets careless and attaches a source to the wrong person, but it only requires a click to detach it. Saying "Sources prove the pedigree!" can be an overstatement, but sources really help!

Family Tree has its own built-in system of source citations, At its simplest, you click a blue source hint and then you click the people listed in the source to attach to the matching person in the Tree.

To find additional sources for a person, you can also click FamilySearch under Search Records. Any records you find can be easily attached to the person and members of their household, All of the rules for formatting sources are taken care of automatically.

What about official documents on other websites?

Yes, Family Tree allows you to create sources yourself, but it is a slow manual process. The good news is that there is a better way, A web search for recordseek.com will find a page with a green button that you can drag to the Bookmarks bar of your browser. (If the Bookmarks bar is hidden, press Shift+Ctlr+B) Now when you want to create a source from any website, copy the person's Family Tree ID to the clipboard, then highlight the text that you want included in your source. Next click the Recordseek bookmark, select FamilySearch, click Next, paste the ID in the (long) bottom box, click Next once or twice, and the source has been added to the individual and to the Source Box. With a little practice, you can probably create a source in less than a minute.

If you would like to see a live tutorial see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBQ7CqFh6A4

(Family Tree has changed slightly since the tutorial was made, and I do not bother to reformat the text, but it is an excellent tutorial.)

Copy and Paste
If you are using Windows 10 without using the Clipboard History tool, you might find this really helpful https://www.howtogeek.com/671222/how-to-enable-and-use-clipboard-history-on-windows-10/ It allows you to keep multiple items (instead of just one) on your Windows clipboard. Try Win+V


Indexing
Where do the FamilySearch source hints come from? They come from indexed records.
An interesting interview on Indexing can be seen here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdqvYCPP7ho

Printing charts without ordinances

There are at least two different ways to do this in the FamilySearch.org Family Tree.

Yesterday I needed to print a chart for a non-member genealogist, and I felt that the temple information would be a needless distraction. The quick and easy way was:
1. generate the chart showing the ordinances
2, edit the chart's url to change showOrdinances=true to showOrdinances=false
3. refresh the screen
4. print the chart without the ordinances

Of course, if you are going to print several charts without ordinances, or you are teaching non-members, you may want to automatically hide the temple information. Instructions for doing this can be found in the Help Center of FamilySearch.org To read the article, click here.

Journals and Personal Histories

Over the years I have kept journals from time to time. My current journal is from 2012 to the present, and honestly is largely repetitive, boring and 1400 pages long. But importantly, it is a constant reminder to try to do something worth recording each day.

What I have found easier and more interesting is writing a personal history by topics. I can write something on one topic one day and something on a different topic on another day. It does not need to be sequential. I can choose whatever topics I want to write about, and write as much or as little as I feel like at the time.

A Personal History by Topics
An article I read suggested "Instead of starting out chronologically stating your life events (year by year that is), try compiling stories by topic." It then goes on to make numerous suggestions of topics to write on. http://www.familyhistoryquickstart.com/writing-your-personal-history/ 

Suddenly a light went on! My attempts to keep a journal or personal history have always floundered. It tends to degenerate into a boring sameness. Much of my life is very routine and I am (by and large) very comfortable with that. People whose lives are full of danger and excitement tend to come to a short if dramatic end. Even at my age, I have things I still want to accomplish before departing this life. Incurring danger deliberately just so that I can tell everyone that I live dangerously seems rather pointless to me. I get more satisfaction from being in a situation where I can help people in various ways.

Reading a personal history by topics seems more interesting because after a page or two, the reader is introduced to a different aspect of life's experience. If one topic is uninteresting, they can skip ahead to the next one.

TOPICS

Places you’ve lived
Influential individuals from your childhood
Favorite vacations
Jobs you’ve had
Thoughts on politics
Political views
Religious views
Favorite movies
Civic and community service rendered
Things you like to collect
Write about your spouse
Children
Your hopes and dreams and how they have changed over the years
The automobiles you’ve had or transportation you’ve used.
Places that you’ve visited and when visited.
Your favorite hobbies
What do you like to shop for
Your impressions of the times, wars, developments, etc.
Collections of writings or poems that you’ve created
Listing of certificates and accomplishments
Favorite restaurants
Favorite music
Operations you’ve had (not the most fun, but interesting)
The top 3 most difficult things you’ve ever done or had to go through
Memberships in clubs or churches
Write about your siblings and other relatives, (their children may not be as lucky as yours. They may not have written memories of their parents’ youth)
Gardens you’ve grown
Favorite foods
Games you like to play and why they’re fun
Favorite recipes (some families like to hand down recipes). Wouldn’t it be fun if your descendants knew which ones were your favorite and you left the recipes for them?
Your favorite time of year
How Clothing Has Changed
Sports that you’ve played throughout your life
Pets you’ve had
Weather phenomena you’ve seen or experienced.
Technological advances you’ve seen in your day
Spiritual experiences you’ve had
Favorite toys you’ve had
Thoughts on raising children
Education achieved
Activities you’ve participated in
Favorite books
Etc.

I think that my posterity would learn a lot more about me from reading 100 pages of topical personal history than from 1000 pages of my journal.Your mileage may vary, of course.

You can upload the current version of your journal or your personal history to your record in FamilySearch Memories. And while you are alive, no one else will have access to it. (Just avoid adding titles or tags to deceased people that can be searched on.)

Bill Buchanan
blog: http://billbuchanan.blogspot.com
site: http://billbuchanan.byethost17.com/

Downloading Records from FamilySearch Family Tree

If you ask FamilySearch Support how to download a GEDCOM file from Family Tree, you may get the answer, "You can't". Technically this is correct, but if you use software that can synchronize its own computer database with Family Tree, there is a way that can be done. In other words, FamilySearch does not have a way to do it, but RootsMagic, Ancestral Quest, and Legacy Family Tree have ways of doing it.

If you have a paid version of one of these programs, find out from the program's support system how to do this.

In the past I have been able to do this using the free RootsMagic Essentials software,
http://rootsmagic.com/Products/
For instructions see the free videos at:
http://rootsmagic.com/familysearch/Videos/

Because of the fact that the FamilySearch Family Tree is designed as an open-edit site, your ancestral lines there can be changed by any other user, It can be very useful to have your own copy of your pedigree for many generations. That way if one of your ancestral lines disappears from Family Tree, you have an easy way to locate the change, and correct it if you feel it is an error. (Add a source where possible.)

Cleaning-up Living and Confidential Records

These are records that you have created that are hidden from everyone else.
In other words, you are the only person who can clean them up.
And this process only works in the Family Tree mobile app, at present.

In the app, tap the main menu, then tap My Contributions, then Private Persons. This will bring up a  list of "the top 200 results", I then tap a person's name if they were born over 100 years ago or if they have no birth date. I can then examine the information on them, their spouse and parents and determine whether to add information or mark the person as deceased. From their Person screen I can also search for historical records of the person in question.


MyContributions has lots of other information. If you are a long-time user of FamilySearch you may be surprised to see the statistics for your contributions!

Trying Indexing Again

Since my mission in FamilySearch Support has ended I have a lot more free time. Like everyone else, I am basically confined to home because of the COVID-19 pandemic. So I have been looking for things to do that are helpful in family history.

With a little encouragement, I decided to try FamilySearch Indexing again. Indexing allows me to make scanned copies of microfilmed records computer-searchable. I download a "batch" of images from FamilySearch.org by signing in and clicking the Indexing link at the top of the screen, Then I click Web Indexing and choose a batch to try. I have not needed to call the free support number for help, but it was comforting to know that it is available if I need  it. 1-866-406-1830

This is a little different from the previous version of Indexing which required me to install indexing software, which I believe also required having Java installed.  I like the change. 😊

Being a Canadian, I chose batches from Nova Scotia, but I ran out of these after about 4 days, so I switched to the 1851 census of Ontario. These are much faster and easier to do. They are generally easy to read, and each batch has a page of 50 names and a page with no names ("No extractable data") On census records you get to use the "ditto" key combination (ctrl+d) a lot, as members of a family have the same surname, and are usually born in the same place. Some fields in the template are missing in the records, these too can be dittoed. So far in the past two weeks I have indexed nearly 1000 names. When these are verified, the data is added to a Historical Records collection in FamilySearch and becomes computer-searchable, They also become available as source hints for documenting family members in the FamilySearch Family Tree. We love sources!

The FamilySearch website is accessible \to everyone with a free account. If you have some extra time, I encourage you to try indexing, I believe we have two weeks to complete any batch and submit it, so we can do it at our own pace. Two of the batches that I did had been started by other indexers but not completed. Their efforts were not wasted. I was able to carry on from where they left off. It is a good system!


[Reposted from my general genealogy blog: https://billbuchanan.blogspot.com/2020/04/trying-indexing-again.html]

What happens to my ordinance reservation during the COVID-19 outbreak? (659307)

[This is an official knowledge article, which will remain in effect during the COVID-19 pandemic.]

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 and temple closures, FamilySearch is temporarily suspending all temple ordinance expiration dates until the temples reopen.
       
Reservations for temple ordinances will not expire while temples are closed.
An expiration date less than 90 days in the future will be extended to 90 days. Once temples reopen, the person holding the reservation will have 90 days to complete the ordinance.
An expiration date that is scheduled more than 90 days in the future will be automatically rescheduled, day by day, until temples reopen. This means that if a particular reservation expires in 100 days, the 100-day period won’t begin until temples reopen.