Where do you keep your "Possibles"

sheilajim · Post by **sheilajim** » Tue May 15, 2007 9:56 pm

Hi All

I was wondering where other people keep their "Possible Ancestors".

I have Family Tree Maker 2006, and can find no place to keep my "Possibles " or "Probables" in my tree. I would like to put them in my tree for convenience, while I do further research on them, but don't want to put them in as definite ancestors. In one case I have more than one candidate for a possible ancestor.

I am going to put them in a separate binder, but I would also like to put them in my computer.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Regards

Sheila

Rockford · Post by **Rockford** » Tue May 15, 2007 10:08 pm

Hi Sheila,

I've got Family Tree Maker 2005 and it allows you to "add an unrelated individual". I've done this for a couple of people that I know are related in some way, but for whom I haven't yet established the connection. For example, grandweans listed on a census but where I've no idea who's child they are etc.

That way I can do whatever research I want for them and, when the connection's made, I can link them to the right parents.

I keep all my census, birth, marriage and death certificates in date order for everyone and would just file a possible in the right place in the chronological order. I've found that easier than trying to group things in families.

Best wishes

Brian

sheilajim · Post by **sheilajim** » Wed May 16, 2007 8:51 pm

Hi Brian

I didn't know about the "add an unrelated individual" feature. I will see if the 2006 version has it.

I am going to put all my possibles and probables into a separate binder so that it will make it easier for me to research them further. One of the reasons that I wanted to put my "possibles and probables" into a tree format is to show them to my relatives, but to explain that these are by no means definite relations.

Regards

Sheila

kathyc · Post by **kathyc** » Thu May 17, 2007 4:28 am

Sheila,

I'm no expert, but I have the same program, so am jumping in to tell you what I do.

The paper stuff I keep in a file labelled "possibles"

.

On FTM, if someone is a possible parent or sibling of a relative I am sure of, I add them to the program but put a question mark at the end of their first name (eg Donald? MacKenzie). That way, I can see the ? even when I'm looking at their children, since FTM shows the first names of parents at the top of the screen. It keeps them fresh in my mind as needing to be checked out and makes it very easy to change them if I find out they are actually related.

Also, if I have two possible names, as in the case of a maiden name of a spouse, I sometimes type their last name in as "MacraeOrFraser". The program points out the extra capital letters, but lets me ignore them.

Kathy

sheilajim · Post by **sheilajim** » Thu May 17, 2007 10:17 pm

Hi Kathy

Great ideas. I think that I will try them. It is because of the OPR's that I have these possibles. The OPR's don't give enough information.

They give you just enough to tantalize you. Hopefully when the Kirk Session Records come out, there might be some more clues.

Regards

kathyc · Post by **kathyc** » Thu May 17, 2007 10:21 pm

I know just what you mean. I'm grateful there's so much information available, but I can't help wishing the OPRs had a bit more detail to make the family connections clearer.

Kathy