Trying to replace a spouse, ID number not found

Jason Wooden

My wife has a Family Search ID number, but when I tried to replace my ex-wife it said “ID number not found”. I entered her name, birthday and birthplace instead and it created a new ID number.

My brother is also having this problem trying to build his tree, as it doesn’t recognize the ID numbers of our parents and grandparents. Is it because they are living?

Sanra

Hello Jason,

Thank you for posting in the Community about ID numbers and the living. FamilySearch protects the privacy of living individuals, so you will only see them if you create them. (Your ID numbers for a living person will be different from the ones other family members create.) Once you get to the first deceased individual in each line, you will then be able to view all deceased ancestors already in Family Tree.

The following comes from the article "How do I add living relatives to a person in Family Tree".

For a new person, you must enter at least a first or last name, indicate the sex of the person, and check deceased or living before you can continue the add process.

If a person already exists in the system, and you are the person who created the record, you can find him or her by ID number by clicking Find.

Steps (website)

1. While signed in to FamilySearch.org, click Family Tree.
2. Navigate to the Person page of an immediate family member of the living individual.
3. If you do not see Vitals near the top of the page, click Details.
4. Scroll to the Family Members section.
5. Click the appropriate link (Add Spouse, Add Child, or Add Parent).      
6. Enter information about the individual. Indicate that he or she is living.
7. Click Next. 
8. Click Create Person.

Click the link below to read the entire article, or visit the Help Center on FamilySearch.

https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-add-living-relatives-to-a-person-in-family-tree

Wishing you success in adding the living to your Tree.

NidaFL

Bottom line, information for living does not cross over between trees .

Jesus Alvarado

This is a big hassle. I wish I could permit another living family member to be able to add me automatically. Are there any projects in the future that will resolve this?

Paul W

@Jesus Alvarado

The possibility of allowing the sharing of details of the living among close family members has been discussed for many years. The fact FamilySearch has still not found a way to implement this is probably connected to the organisation not being able to find a method of doing this, without contravening the strict laws on privacy (for the living) that are to be found in many countries of the world.

A facility that would suit you might not necessarily have the agreement of many other Family Tree users (possibly even including your relatives). The introduction of a facility that would not infringe privacy laws in one country could well cause legal difficulties for FamilySearch in others.

dontiknowyou

@Jesus Alvarado many contributors with living family members create minimal placeholder profiles in their private tree space, merely to link themselves and other living persons to their deceased ancestors. This is one way to preserve the privacy of others.