Untangle Tools???
I have recently focused on untangling messes in my Tree. It seems that while FamilySearch makes creating tangles relatively easy, it does not seem to have tools designed to help fix the tangled messes. By reviewing various videos, websites and some trial and error I have developed a reasonable process. However, the process is extremely tedious and time consuming. I am wondering if any experienced "untanglers" have found tools that help the untangle process? For several of my projects I found a "timeline grid" to be very helpful however, building the "timeline grid" is itself a tedious and time consuming process.
Answers
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I usually print the family group record when I find a messed up family. Then I can write all over it and sort out the children. That way when I go about fixing the munged records in family tree I have a reference and the quick PIDs to refer to. That seems to help me do it faster. Also if you find a family that is repeatedly getting messed up, be sure to print a copy of how you think it should be when you get finished to keep as a reference. Mark the suggested duplicates as not a match if they really are not. Also put a watch on the ancestor so you can check back. Hopefully you won't need it but just in case.
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Thank you for your question today.
If you could please give us a PID and name of a person whose information seems "tangled" we will be very pleased to help you sort things out for that record. Unfortunately, this kind of research demands a good deal of detail work and verified sources to help us prove that we are on the right track and person. Shortcuts tend to be rare.
Thinking that you may benefit from some research ideas, we have attached the following article that may spark some ideas for you.
Please respond with specifics about one of your ancestors whose information is needing attention. We will be happy to assist you further.
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If you find a family that after you fixed the messed up situations the messed up reappears, you need to send a message to the ID or person who is creating the messup. YOu can do this by going to the latest changes on the right side and looking up who put in the messes and contact them using the message system. If you keep all the messages and the other party still keeps causing the messes, then contact us to see if a supervisor needs to get involved. A front line missionary can't do what a supervisor can.
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@Shanna, "I usually print the family group record when I find a messed up family." Thanks for the suggestion. That is a good idea. Do you happen to know how to print the "Indexed Information" or "Record" that is displayed when a source is viewed?
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When a family is difficult, but has census records, in a text file I make a summary table like this:
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@dontiknowyou, I like your table, it is similar to the Timeline Grid I sometimes use. Do you use cut-and-paste to build the table or have you found a way to automate part of the process of building?
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I cut and paste as I go. That table is the by-product of a lot of work, and also a helpful guide. The gaps are easy to see. For example, some census records may be on FS that have not been found. The young male in the household in 1830 most likely is not a child, and perhaps not any relation. Et cetera.
The early census records name only the head of household and have headcounts. It takes some interpolation to allocate the counts to persons named in later census records.
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Since I posted this question a few months ago I found a video on RootsTech 2022 that suggests a new tool.
Swim Lanes: A New Analysis Tool for Tricky Situations in Family History Research;
I have tried this idea several times on compound tangles where people/families have been mushed together. I find it works very well. However I found the program suggested in the video to be difficult to use. I found another free program that works great for me -- https://www.mural.co/
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Glenn
I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...
Just in passing ...
Short Answer: 'No', just 'hard slog' ...
I once spent a solid x2 Weeks, 'Untangling', two Families, with similar "Names", that lived about x5 Miles apart.
It ain't easy ...
Of course, there are the "Tools" of, "Unmerge"; and, "Restore" (an individual/person), depending of the situation/circumstance.
But ...
That Said ...
One NEEDS to do a lot of Research/'Homework'; BEFORE, trying to address/fix the matter.
As, 'FamilySearch' has preciously stated:
"Merging is a complex process in which you decide if two people are the same person. If they are, you choose which information should be kept. Please take the time necessary to carefully review each possible duplicate."
It is sad, that so many Users/Patrons, DO NOT, 'heed' that message; BEFORE, "Merging"/'Combining" ...
Just my thoughts.
Brett
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