Setting Up

Getting Set Up

    Once you've chosen your preferred platform its time to start getting set up. ALWAYS start at the beginning or what you know the most about, which is usually yourself. Very few people, if any, know more about you than you so that's where you start. Put in your full name: first, middle, last. Now, for all of you ladies that are reading this, keep in mind here that you will put in your maiden name if you are married or ever were married. This connects you to your parents just like a man's last name connects him with his parents. Don't forget to include your birthday, where you were born... Anything about yourself. 

Screenshot of familysearch.org. Click on highlighted area to add information

    After you've taken care of yourself, start to add others in your family. You will want to include children, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, any and all spouses even if you're divorced or a widow or widower, they were and are part of your life, include them. If you had children with multiple partners/spouses make sure those kids are under the right parent. All of this information, no matter how hard, difficult, or how good it is to remember, made you who you are. It tells a story, your story, and those that come after you will be grateful for any information they can learn about you.

   Try to fill in your first four generations; you, you're parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents. You can also put in your spouse, mother and father-in-law, grandparents-in-laws, and great-grandparents-in-laws (is that a word?) If you don't have all the information and the person you're adding is living don't be afraid to ask them. I can't tell you how much I would love to ask both sets of my grandparents questions about themselves. Unfortunately I missed my chance. If you have the chance, take it! If they are no longer here to answer your questions then it's time to start researching.

*Remember to mark people as living if you don't know if they've passed away. Some programs will ask and if you mark them as deceased when they're not it could cause problems*

Sample Pedigree chart from template.net