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  • Home› Welcome to the FamilySearch Community!› Ask a Question› Family Tree

    Removing a tree and starting fresh

    JaneBurke Snyder
    JaneBurke Snyder ✭
    June 21, 2021 edited July 18, 2024 in Family Tree

    I just found out (at 63) that I am adopted. Blindsided yes, of course.

    After working on 'my' family trees and building strong extensive trees over 15 years I find out that I now have a blank tree and cannot begin with a new tree here.

    In order to move forward and find my real family and begin a new tree I must have a blank tree here.

    I have DNA proof and family who have disclosed this to me recently.

    How do I move forward

    Tagged:
    • adopted
    • Delete Tree
    • Start over
    • Multiple parents
    0

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    Best Answer

    • Miss Jessie
      Miss Jessie ✭✭✭
      June 21, 2021 edited June 21, 2021 Answer ✓


      @JaneBurke Snyder

      It’s important to understand that Family Tree allows you to link a child to more than one set of parents.

      You may add biological, adoptive, step, guardian or foster parents. See How do I add step, adopted, and foster parents to a child in Family Tree?

      https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-add-step-adopted-and-foster-parents-to-a-child-in-family-tree

      When more than one set of parents is entered, you may select the preferred parents to display in pedigree views.

      https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-set-the-preferred-spouse-or-parents

      Preferred parents can be changed to a different set at any time you choose.


      https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-specify-biological-step-adopted-and-foster-relationships-in-family-tree

      1

    Answers

    • JaneBurke Snyder
      JaneBurke Snyder ✭
      June 21, 2021

      Thank you very much this is most helpful. I think I will. create a new account.


      Have a Blessed day

      Jane

      0
    • lstolk36
      lstolk36 ✭✭✭
      June 21, 2021

      Welcome to the FamilySearch community. Thank you for the time you spend asking questions.

      How do I delete my Family Tree and start over?

      April 20, 2020


      FamilySearch does not provide an option to delete your family tree to start over. The FamilySearch Family Tree is a single collaborative tree intended to connect the entire human family.

      If you find errors in Family Tree, you can make corrections and attach sources to support your changes. See the articles linked below to learn how.

      Related articles

      What is the purpose of FamilySearch and Family Tree?

      How do I correct parent-child relationships in Family Tree?

      How do I change vital information in Family Tree?

      What are sources in Family Tree?

      0
    • lstolk36
      lstolk36 ✭✭✭
      June 21, 2021

      Thank you for the time you spend asking questions and hopefully this will give you some comfort.

      How do I correct parent child relationships

      Correcting child-parent relationships usually requires some analysis before you begin. Two kinds of problems can exist: duplicate records or incorrect relationship links.

      Solving this type of problem can feel intimidating. If you remove or replace a relationship incorrectly, you can restore it through the Latest Changes feature. Find a link to these instructions in the Related Articles list at the end of this article.  

      When you remove a child's record from a family's records, the child's record stays in Family Tree. If the child is linked to spouses and children, he or she remains linked to them. Similarly, when you remove parents from a relationship to a child, the Family Tree record for each parent remains in Family Tree.

      Before you start

      Take some time to figure out what is wrong:

      • If the child does not belong in the family, remove or replace the child's link to the parents. Use the instructions in this article to do so.
      • If the children are right but one or both parents are wrong, you must remove or replace the incorrect parent. Remove or replace the spouse of the correct parent. Find a link to the instructions for removing or replacing spouses in the Related Articles list at the end of this article. 
      • If you see the parents and children multiple times, or in multiple families, look at the ID numbers of the duplicates.
      • If the ID numbers are different, merge the duplicate records. Find a link to these instructions in the Related Articles list at the end of this article. 
      • If the ID numbers are identical, the child is linked to one of the parents more than once. Use the instructions in this article to remove the extra relationship.

      Tip: Write down the names and ID numbers of the people whose relationships you are changing. Now you can quickly undo a change.

      Steps (website)

      Here are the steps for removing or replacing a child in a family using Family Tree on the FamilySearch.org website:

      1. While signed in to FamilySearch.org, click Family Tree.
      2. Navigate to the person page of the child with the incorrect parents.
      3. If the Details section is not open, click the Details tab.
      4. Scroll to the Family Members section.
      5. Under Parents and Siblings, find the child's name, and click the Edit icon .
      6. If only one parent is incorrect, click Remove or Replace next to the incorrect parent. If both are incorrect, click Remove or Replace next to the child.
      7. A Remove or Replace box appears. Verify relationships, sources, and notes, then click the check box.
      8. Do one of the following:
      9. To remove a parent or parents, click the appropriate Remove button. Explain why, and then click Remove.
      10. To replace a parent or parents, click the appropriate Replace button. The Replace Person screen appears.
      • If you know a parent's ID number, click Find by ID Number, enter the ID number, and then click Find. Click Add Person. Explain your reason for the change, and then click Replace.
      • If you do not know a parent's ID number, complete the search fields, and then click Next. If the correct person or couple appears in the list, click Add Person. Otherwise, click Create New to create a parent record. Explain your reason for the change, and then click Replace.

      Recommended next steps  

      Removing or changing the parent-child relationship does not remove or change the parents' couple relationship. If the mother or father is wrong, you must also remove or replace one of the spouses.

      Related articles

      How do I specify biological, step, adopted, and foster relationships in Family Tree?

      How do I see what changes were made about a person in Family Tree?

      How do I merge possible duplicates in Family Tree?

      A person in Family Tree has the wrong spouse

      The same child shows more than once in a family in Family Tree

      https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/ar...

      0
    • Sanra
      Sanra ✭✭✭✭
      June 26, 2021

      Jane

      Finding different parentage can be quite emotional. Know you are not alone, there are many others who had the shock of learning that one or both of their growing up parents are not biological. DNA has changed the world for them. It is good you are moving forward in seeking the new information. May your journey be fruitful, and interesting.

      2
    • JaneBurke Snyder
      JaneBurke Snyder ✭
      June 27, 2021

      Thank you

      0
    • Gordon Collett
      Gordon Collett ✭✭✭✭✭
      June 27, 2021 edited June 27, 2021

      Jane, to summarize, the family that raised you is still your family and Family Tree is designed to include all types of families. There is no need to delete anything or to remove yourself from your family. Just add another branch to Family Tree. When you have put in your new information, your detail page in Family Tree under Family Members will look something like this:

      Screen Shot 2021-06-21 at 8.37.14 PM.png


      3
    • JaneBurke Snyder
      JaneBurke Snyder ✭
      June 29, 2021

      Thank you

      Very helpful

      0
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