WE’RE GOING ON A TREASURE HUNT: Lesson for Discovering a Family History Friend
There are simple questions we can ask to help us make a friend from our family tree. To begin, click on an ancestor from your pedigree chart, or search for a person by their name or ID number. You have just chosen your friend!
A great place to begin is by asking, “What is my relationship to this friend?” Are they a direct line, meaning a grandma or a grandpa? Are they a descendancy line, meaning an aunt, uncle or cousin? Every person’s page has a drop down menu that contains view my relationship. You are one click away from the answer!
What are the relationships that were important in my friends life? Do they have a spouse and children? Do they have parents and siblings? Use the ABC’s of family history to help you write down their names!
Sources are the records that are attached to a person to help prove dates, places and relationships. Are there any sources attached to your friend? What did you learn from opening and studying one of their sources?
A record hint is a blue icon that tells you the computer has found a source that might be a match to your friend. Opening the record hint, comparing information and attaching if dates, places and/or relationships match, is a great way to strengthen and grow your family tree! Does your friend have any record hints to attach?
Push the blue icon. Open marriage record. Compare dates, places, relationships. Attach if you find it to be a match.
A picture is worth a thousand words! What memories have been added about your friend? What can you learn from the pictures, stories, documents and audio that have been added? Can you add a memory by clicking the + sign?
Are there temple ordinances your friend needs you to do? Do any of the people your friend lived with and loved need temple ordinances? Here is a link to family search that teaches the meaning of icons you will see.
This video can help you learn about reserving ordinances on Family Search.
Any effort you make to know and remember those in your family tree brings to you a treasure box of promised blessings! Be sure to ask lots of QUESTIONS and never stop hunting!