PRESERVING YOUR PAST AND YOUR PRESENT
FOR THE FUTURE
So Just What Can You
Do with FamilySearch?
•Create a family tree and preserve it on the web
•Search for vital records that will give you information about those in your family who have died
•Connect with others who are working on the
same line as you are
•Record memories, such as photographs and
stories, that will be available to those who come
after you
BEFORE YOU CAN BEGIN…
Getting an
account for
FamilySearch is
free and easy.
This is the page
that comes up
when you click
“free account.”
The most important thing to
remember is to
make the set-ting
for your email
address “public”
Put in the information you know, and see
what information FamilySearch already has
on your family.
You can get record hints to help you find
digitized records that will help you find
information about your ancestor.
FamilySearch will even remind you when you don’t
have any sources for an individual.
If you don’t want to look at your family in a
tree…
Try a fan chart
When you are in the family tree view, you can get brief
information by clicking once on the persons name. This
shows you complete birth and death information, as well
as how many sources, memories and discussions there
are for this individual.
For more information, go to the person
page
The top half of the person page:
•Shows (on left) the vital statistics of that individual
•Shows (on right) suggested sources for the individual
•Shows websites you can visit to get more information for source
material
•Allows you to edit information if you have more up-to-date or
accurate vital statistics
•Allows you to find out who submitted information and contact them.
This promotes collaboration between people who are working on the
same line.
Finding Sources
2. A summary of the
record will appear.
1. In the research help box, click
on one record.
3. A box will appear that
compares your information
to the record. If they are for
the same person, put in the
reason for attaching. and
click attach.
Searching records from
FamilySearch is free,
but to search from other
partner sites you have
to have your own subscription or come into a
Family History Center
where you can use
these sites for free. You
can see that Ancestry
has a lot of records of
my father.
Sometimes we find information in the database which is not correct, and
sometimes we put in information which is not correct. In either case, we
need to make corrections. In this case, click on the statistic which is
wrong, and this edit box will come up
Then, click on edit, and the box will look like this
Highlight the actual information to be
changed, and type in new information.
Type in reason you made the change:
be specific. Then click save.
Sometimes it is fun to know that there is someone out there
trying to research the same line as you are. And sometimes it
is just plain helpful.
When you are in edit mode, click on the name of the person
who entered or modified the information (in this case, me).
When this box comes up, click on send a
message, and an email box comes up and you
can send an email to the person who entered
the information.
Bottom half of person page
 Gives the names of spouses and children
 Allows you to add spouses and children
 Gives the names of parents and siblings of the individual
 Allows you to add parents and children
 Allows you to print the family in a variety of formats
 Permits you to check for duplicate individuals on FamilySearch
 Shows all of the sources that have been attached to the record
 Permits you to delete a relationship if someone has submitted
information you know to be inaccurate (Please note: if you do this,
you should have actual proof in your possession)
If you need to add children or
spouses to a family, go to the
family members part of the
person page. Then click on the
appropriate “+” sign.
Put in whatever information you have, and
click “Find.” Possibilities will be shown and
you can select one if it matches.
Otherwise you will have to add the
information manually.
PRINT
CHOICES
Merging Individuals:
•Sometimes a person is in the database more than once, even though the
individual ‘s name may have a minor spelling difference.
•To find out if there are duplicates, click on “possible duplicates.”
Check all of the
information carefully to
determine whether it is
the same, or similar.
Remember that in the
1800s, spellings vary
and people often did
not know their own
birthdates.
Any new information can
be added by clicking the
add button. When you
are satisfied, click
“continue merge” or “not
a match”
The final merge page will come up. Be sure to fill in the box “reason
this merge is correct,” and then click “finish merge.”
HOWEVER, you are not finished, because there was a second
possible duplicate, so you will have to go back and repeat the merge
process for the other possible duplicate.
2. Click on the small button (shown at the
beginning of the arrow) and you will get a new
page, shown above.
1. On the person page, you can view spouses and children. It is fairly obvious
that Elizabeth is not a child of these parents. Look at the birth dates.
1. This box will open. You
will need to put a reason
for deleting the relationship
in the box, the click Delete
Once you click Delete, you will get a box like the one below.
One of the most
exciting features of
FamilySearch is that
it gives us the
opportunity to record
different types of
memories for
ourselves and for
future generations.
How many of us
have boxes of old
photographs sitting
around that we don’t
know what to do
with. Furthermore
we have no idea
how to interest our
children in them.
This is a picture of
my dad that I want
to import to
FamilySearch. It
is easiest to put
these pictures on
the desktop.
Click on the plus sign on the
photos page and you will be
ready to drag and drop your
photo.
Photos, continued
2. Next, click on the red dot to
connect the photo to the person on
you family tree.
3. Then click on this red dot on next
page.
1. When this screen comes up, pull
the edges of the box so the circle
surrounds the face of the individual.
Then add a title, a description if you
want, and put the name in the “Who
is this?” box.
4. When this box comes up,
type in the PID and click select.
1. Now you have a photo
on the person page and on
your family tree. What if
you have many photos of
the same person attached
to his name? Click on the
photo and…
2. You will get a box like the one
on the right, showing all the
photos attached. Simply click
on the one you prefer, and that
will be the one that shows on
the person page and family tree.
1. Adding stories is a really easy
thing to do. First, click on Stories
under the Memories menu. Then
click on “Add a new Story”
2. Then, follow the directions on
the screen to the right. Attach a
photo if possible, give your story
a title, and type your story into
the box marked “Story. Once
you save, it will be attached to
the proper person.
How many of you have ever lost a birth certificate or other important
document? Now there is a way to put them in FamilySearch so you will
always be able to find them.
3. Finally, you will see a
box that says completed.
1. Click
Click on the blue lettering
Submission
below and it will take you
Agreement
to a new screen…
2. When this screen appears, drag
your document onto this screen.
1. The document will
appear – draw out
the box around it and
put the name of the
person in the Who is
this box.
2. Hit enter and you
will get a box like this.
Click on the red dot.
3. Put in the person’s PID
4. At the next
screen, click
on Attach
5. Add a title, and a description if you
wish, and you are done!
Adding Audio memories is really just the same as adding photos, stories, or
documents. If you have a microphone on your computer, record your
memory and save it to the desktop. FamilySearch will accept MP3 and
.m4a files. Use the same process to drag and drop your file and attach it to
your family tree.
Think of what it will mean to your grandchildren and great grandchildren
some day to be able to hear your voice, look at pictures of you, and read the
stories you put in.