Just created an account but there is already a Record for me in the tree that I can't merge

GustavoFarias84

I'm new to the site. I created my account and it automatically creates a tree where I am at the root. (This is me #1)

I noticed that someone had already generated a tree with a lot of my relatives, and I'm already on that tree. (Me #2)

The problem is when I select my already existing parents to my tree, I become a duplicate son of my parents.

How do I say to my account that I'm the person already existent (#2) so I can ignore or delete the auto created me that came with my account?

I tried to merge the two but one is marked as deceased and the other as alive and I can't change that.

I'm a bit confused. I would like to get rid of the auto created me.

Wayland K Adams

Hi @Gustavo95434 What you should do it go to the person page where you are showing as deceased. Edit the death information by selecting living. Save your changes and give any reasons asked for. This will be reviewed and when complete, you will no longer see that person. There will just be the automatically created person which is the one you need to keep. On this profile, you can edit it to add/correct any of your information. Here are more detailed instructions.

https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-change-vital-information-in-family-tree

Áine Ní Donnghaile

Because the FamilySearch Family Tree protects the privacy of the living, many of us have multiple profiles if anyone else is researching the same family. You cannot merge profiles of the living.

You may wish to investigate the Family Group Trees option, in which you and other family or friends can work together on living people.

Áine Ní Donnghaile

Since someone else created the deceased profile, once the status is changed to living, the poster will be unable to see it.

GustavoFarias84

Thank you for your answers. I edited the dead me to living, and now it's gone.

Just a note: if you go Settings → Account → Family Tree Preferences → Family Tree Starting Person you can ignore the auto created root and possibly use another "version" of the person.

Alan E. Brown

@GustavoFarias84 said "Just a note: if you go Settings → Account → Family Tree Preferences → Family Tree Starting Person you can ignore the auto created root and possibly use another "version" of the person."

I would strongly advise you not to do that. The special root person for you is used in a variety of ways in FamilySearch. The Family Tree Starting Person is used only on the website for displaying trees. It's never good to have two copies of the same person in the Tree anyway, but you will create confusing problems for yourself if you try to ignore the auto-created your person.

Wayland K Adams

@GustavoFarias84 I agree with the comments by Alan Brown and would not advise creating another version of yourself. When you are talking about going to setting and changing the starting person, it is true you can do that. But that does not change the root person on the account. It just changes where Family Search starts its display. For example, by default when you look at your tree, it starts with you as the root person. If you change the starting person, your tree will start at that person but you are still the root person on the account.

The root person was set when you created the account. The only thing you can do with the root person is edit the information contained. The recommendation is that you edit the information to be clear and accurate about yourself. If you feel you need some help in the matter, you can contact FamilySearch support.

Thanks.