Mother-in-law

nathanaelgideonmahler1 · January 15, 2022

I was looking at my family tree and I was following my wifes line back. I can see my father-in-law and his line just fine, but I can't see any of my mother-in-laws side. Why is this? Picture below for convenience.

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Julia Szent-Györgyi · January 15, 2022

Since she's living, only you can see the profile you entered for your mother-in-law. You have to find or create profiles for her parents and connect her to them yourself. (And if her parents are living, then you need to keep going until you get to her deceased ancestors in order to connect to the shared Family Tree.)

I don't understand what you mean by "when I added her to the one that was already in Family Tree". Has someone entered an incorrect profile for your MIL?

nathanaelgideonmahler1 · January 15, 2022

UPDATE: For some reason Family Search must not have connected my mother-in-law when I added her to the one that was already in Family Tree. Any idea why?

Brett . · January 15, 2022

@nathanaelgideonmahler1

Nathan

I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...

Just in passing ...

Further to what 'Julie' has already proffered ...

Please be aware ...

"Living" individuals/persons, in "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch', are PRIVATE; and, can ONLY bee 'seen' (and, accessed), by the User/Patron, who "Created" them; as, they reside in the "Private Spaces", of that User's/Patron's 'FamilySearch' Account.

And ...

That said ...

'Yes' ... they WILL be DUPLIACTES ... but, that is O.K.; and, a necessary feature for "Privacy".

Basically ...

You and your ("Living") Family members (and, extended Family) have to "Build" a "Bridge" of the "Living" individuals/persons (As "Living" DUPLICATES) that connect/link you together, in your respective 'FamilySearch' Accounts ...

Once, you and your ("Living") Family members (and, extended Family) have ALL "Built" that "Bridge" of the "Living" (individuals/persons) that connect/link you ALL together (As "Living" DUPLICATES); then, when you ALL come to your FIRST Common "Deceased" Ancestor, your "Ancestral" Lines will connect/link together into one.

Plus ...

Here an old 'standby' of mine, that I have previously proffered on occasion ...

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Most new (and, some old) Users/Patrons DO NOT understand the basic 'nature' and 'premise', of "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch', when they join in.

Please let me explain ...

[ And, please bear with me; as, I am VERY 'Verbose' ... that is my 'style' ... ]

We do not have our OWN "Tree", in "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch'.

We ONLY have "Branches" (ie. Ancestral" lines), that are interconnected, in this SINGLE "One" World "Tree", for all of us, that is, "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch'.

"Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch', is NOT like 'On-Line' "Websites" (eg. "Ancestry_com"; or "MyHeritage_com"; or, the like); and/or, 'standalone' personal (computer) programmes (eg, the OLD, now no longer supported, "PAF"; or, "Ancestral Quest"; or, the like).

We DO NOT have "Private"/"Personal" 'Trees', in "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch' like other 'On-Line' "Websites"; and/or, 'standalone' personal (computer) programmes.

We do not even, own; or, manage; and, are NOT even responsible for, the "Deceased" individuals/persons, in "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch'.

And, most importantly ...

We DO NOT even, own; or, manage; and, are NOT even responsible for, Our OWN "Deceased" Ancestors/Family/Relatives, in "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch'.

"Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch', is built on a "Open Edit" Platform - hence, why any "Registered' User/Patron can "Edit" (ie. Add, Delete; and/or, Change) ANY "Deceased" individual/person, in "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch'.

You can certainly "Merge"/"Combine" any "Deceased" individual/person, in "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch', with another "Deceased" individual/person, in "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch', regardless of who the User/Patron was that initially created those "Deceased" individuals/persons; as, they DO NOT reside with the User/Patron who initially created them - they are "Public".

In fact, you can ONLY see "Deceased" individuals/persons, in "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch'; except, with this 'rider', that you can ALSO only see "Living" individuals/persons, in "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch', that YOU created; as, they reside in your "Private Spaces".

No other User/Patron can see ANY "Living" individuals/persons that were created by another User/Patron; as, they ONLY reside in the "Private Spaces" of the User/Patron who created them.

We CANNOT even see the ACTUAL Record in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' of our IMMEDIATE Family (eg. Spouse; Children; Parents; Siblings; ETC; Etc; etc) if they are "Living"; and, they have their own 'FamilySearch' Account.

Of course, you can create your "Living" Family members; and, record them, in "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch'; but, they will ONLY be seen by you:

▬ You cannot "Share" them with any other User/Patron.

▬ You cannot "Merge"/'Combine" them with any other "Living" individual/person residing in the "Private Spaces" of another User//Patron.

There is CURRENTLY no mechanism, in "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch', for Users/Patrons, to "Share"; or, "give permission" to "Share", the "Living" individuals/persons in their own "Private Spaces" with/between other/another User(s)/Patron(s).

There are a myriad of "Privacy" Laws, within the many various Countries and Unions, throughout the World - it is a nightmare to negotiate.

"Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch', is used in many Countries and Unions, throughout the World; and, as such, must adhere to the myriad of "Privacy" Laws throughout the World.

Hence, "Privacy" is one of the reasons that we cannot "Share" the "Living" individuals/persons in our own "Private Spaces" - it is NOT the ONLY reason; but, certainly has a bearing on the matter.

Another factor is that such would have to be 'Coded'/'Programmed' into the Programme that is, "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch'.

'Yes', these "Living" individuals/person, in "Family Tree", of 'FamilySearch', WILL, in fact, in many (most) cases will be "Duplicated" - unfortunately a necessary situation that currently cannot be avoided.

I know that there are "Duplicates" of the "Living" ME - at least, one for my Wife and each of our Children, not to mention my other ("Living") extended Family members.

Here are some "Knowledge Articles", in 'FamilySearch', in regard to "Private Spaces" and "Living" individuals/persons:

Who can see my living relatives in Family Tree?

https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/who-can-see-my-living-relatives-in-family-tree

How does Family Tree protect the privacy of living people?

https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/what-is-a-private-space-in-family-tree

What Family Tree features are available in my private space?

https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/family-tree-features-available-in-my-private-space

Can my living relatives share a Family Tree private space to work together?

https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/share-a-family-tree-private-space-with-family

Can I transfer my Family Tree private space to another user?

https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/transfer-my-family-tree-private-space-to-another-user

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I hope, that this may help/assist, somewhat.

Brett

nathanaelgideonmahler1 · February 5, 2022

@Julia Szent-Györgyi or @Brett . - I thought that (maybe because she is living I don't have access to her line) but I have access to my whole father-in -laws line and he is also still living so that doesn't seem to be the reason. Could she have marked her ancestors as private or something since both of her parents are deceased I didn't think you could do this? As Brett said the privacy stuff can get confusing:)

Sanra · February 5, 2022

@nathanaelgideonmahler1

Do you know the ID numbers of your mother in laws parents? If your wife has them in her tree, you can add them by the ID number, which will bring up all the other ancestors on that line that are already in Family Tree.

It's possible your ancestor already exists in FamilySearch's database. Here's how to add an existing record to your part of the Tree.

Steps (website)

While signed in to FamilySearch, click Family Tree.
Click the name of a person to whom you want to add a direct relation. You can find the person from any of the 4 pedigree view options. Click the name, and a Person card appears.
Click Person. The details page appears.
If you do not see Vitals near the top of the page, click Details.
Scroll down to the Family Members section.
You can add and link an existing person in Family Tree using one of these 4 features:
- Click Add Parent.
- Click Add Child.
- Click Add Spouse.
- Click Add Sibling.
Enter information about your ancestor, and click Next. If you know the ID of the individual, click By ID Number.
- When you enter information, you must include at least a last name, indicate the sex of the person, and check deceased.
Review the search results. If you find the right person, click Add Person.
If you do not see the person in the search results, click Create New.

Good luck.