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What to do if there are only fields for 1 spouse, but 2 spouses are listed?

Shannon Landen
Shannon Landen ✭
November 8, 2021 edited August 19, 2024 in Get Involved/Indexing

I'm working on the South Africa, Western Cape—Deceased Estate Files. There is only one field each for listing a spouse's given name and surname. The record I'm working on lists the names for 2 previously deceased spouses. I can't see any way to add fields to the entry. Should I just index the first spouse only?

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Answers

  • genthusiast
    genthusiast ✭✭✭✭✭
    November 8, 2021 edited November 8, 2021

    @Shannon Landen

    If you share the batch code that may help with the response. How to share the batch code - Help (menu)> Share Batch will allow you to share that code/link.

    But I can give my opinion from your description. I would make another entry duplicating the surviving spouse (that seems to be the case) and reference the second deceased spouse in that new entry. I believe in this case to perform Indexing duty as well as possible - this may be the only option?

    If you have already continued to the next Entry - you can always go back to the first Entry and Add an Entry 'after current Entry' (through Add Entries toolbar button - left of Trashcan button) for the second deceased spouse.

    1
  • Susan Ann Mullen
    Susan Ann Mullen ✭✭✭✭✭
    November 8, 2021

    Without the shared batch code we cannot be certain but this help article gives the general guideline.

    https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/how-should-i-index-multiple-spouses-or-parents

    When the document lists multiple spouses or parents, index only the current spouse or parents. Here are some quick guidelines for these situations:

    • For multiple spouses, index only the present or current spouse.
    • For multiple parents, such as a set of birth parents and a set of adoptive parents, index only the current set of adoptive parents. 
    • Do not add records to include the other individuals. The information is not lost. After we publish the records, researchers can view the image and gather any additional information in it.


    2
  • Shannon Landen
    Shannon Landen ✭
    November 8, 2021

    I ended up getting help from FamilySearch support and after about an hour+ of discussion on their part, it was decided that I should do what genenthusiast suggested.

    Thank you both for your replies!

    1
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