User:Stevenlbowles/Sandbox



Welcome! Wondering about your heritage? Discovering your ancestors and their story is fascinating and fulfilling!

It develops resilience and a warm sense of belonging.

And most importantly, it is your story! Our helpful volunteers are pleased to assist you. All services are free.

How would you like to get started?  “In all of us there is a hunger, marrow-deep,

to know our heritage - to know who we are and where we have come from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainments in life, there is still a vacuum, an emptiness, and the most disquieting loneliness.”'' ''

Alex Haley, author of Roots: The Saga of an American Family Research shows that ... Children who know a lot about their families:
 * Do better than other children when facing challenges.
 * Are more resilient, and have higher self-esteem.
 * Have a stronger sense of control over their lives.
 * Believe that their family functions successfully.
 * Feel that they belong to something larger than themselves.

“The Stories That Bind Us”, Bruce Feiler, New York Times, 3/15/2013



Ready to start your discovery?

Login to FamilySearch.org
 * Click “Create a FREE account” and follow instructions.
 * Activate your account using a mobile phone or email. Information you enter about yourself and living family members is kept private.

Watch Overview Videos (5 Minutes)
 * Create a Family Tree
 * My Family Tree is Empty.

Start Your Family Tree
 * Add your parents and grandparents.
 * Find and connect to deceased ancestors. (Many deceased ancestors may already be in Family Tree.)



Would you like to learn more about a specific topic? Enjoy free access to hundreds of trainings by topical experts!

FamilySearch Family Tree
 * View Capabilities
 * View Tips for Beginners

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 * RootsTech Connect 2021

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FamilySearch Overview As an international nonprofit organization, FamilySearch is dedicated to helping people discover their family story. Discover your place in history with Family Tree as an easy way to preserve your genealogy. Search for your ancestors in millions of historical records. See what others have contributed about your family story. Preserve and share precious family memories. FamilySearch Capabilities Getting Help
 * One Unified Tree – FamilySearch created a unified tree with over 1.2 billion ancestors. Instead of people concentrating on constructing individual trees, FamilySearch tree builders cooperate to build a shared tree that helps you and others discover more about ancestors and other family members. Learn more about the FamilySearch Family Tree.
 * Fan Chart – See your ancestors in unique ways including a 7-generation Fan Chart. You can also print Pedigree Charts, Portrait Pedigree Charts, and Family Group Sheets.
 * Search historical records to find additional ancestors or to find more information to add as sources to your ancestors. Learn more.
 * Add Sources (birth, death, marriage, census records, etc.) to document information.
 * Add Photos, Stories, Audio Recordings, and Documents of your ancestors and see what others have added.
 * Training – visit The Family History Guide
 * Excellent on-line resources on FamilySearch
 * Live Chat on FamilySearch
 * Send a message, or call 1-866-406-1830



FamilySearch Tips for Beginners
 * Record Hints – are a quick way to add to your family tree.
 * Format of Dates – Day Month Year (e.g., 4 January 1920)
 * Format of Places – City, County, State, Country (e.g., Tempe, Maricopa, Arizona, United States)
 * FIND vs. SEARCH
 * Find is for looking for people already in Family Tree.
 * Search is for looking up information in historical records.
 * Find Person Using Husband-Wife Combination – With the Find function, it is usually faster to enter both husband and wife.
 * Correcting Information – When correcting information about an ancestor, document your source. (A change log is kept.)
 * Duplicate Records – If a person has been created multiple times in Family Tree, the duplicate records must be merged. Get help.
 * Views of Family Tree – Your family tree may be displayed in Landscape, Portrait, Fan Chart, and Descendancy views.
 * Person View – shows all information that has been collected about a person, and their unique 7-digit ID.