My family tree
I first created my account like 8 or 10 years ago, anyways when I go to my tree view there are many many many names extending very far back with certain ancestors I was just wondering how this is possible?
Answers
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Cassandra
Welcome to the "Community.FamilySearch" Forum.
I am just another 'lowly' User/Patron ...
Short Answer: Because of the "Collaborative" nature of "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch'.
Brett
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Cassandra
Furthermore ...
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.
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'.
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I hope this helps; and, gives you some perspective.
Brett
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Please check out this video - and it will be explained
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwRSRZ9amlM
You are not alone in your work - this is a collaborative system by design.
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Cassandra
Plus ...
Here is a good place to start, with how things work in "Family Tree" of 'FamilySearch' (and, other programmes as well):
Overview
'FamilySearch'
"Family Tree"
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/overview
Getting Started with Family History
Here are the main things you need to know as you get started
https://www.familysearch.org/home/etb_gettingstarted
How to Use the Family Tree
https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/how-to-use-family-tree/
What is The Family History Guide?
https://media.familysearch.org/what-is-the-family-history-guide/
The Family History Guide
Introduction
About The Family History Guide
https://www.thefhguide.com/introduction.html
The Family History Guide
I hope this also helps.
Brett
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when I go to my tree view there are many many many names extending very far back with certain ancestors I was just wondering how this is possible?
How far back?
Centuries? Your ancestors are also other people's ancestors. Many early immigrants into British Colonial America have hundreds of thousands of documented descendants. Hundreds or even thousands of those descendants, all cousins, can be working on the same parts of Family Tree.
Millenia? Some tall trees here are tall tales.
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As an illustration, here is a typical 4-generation ancestry tree for Benjamin Merrill 1748-1825:
And for just one of those 16 4th generation ancestors, here is the matching 4-generation descendancy tree:
And that is just the first 4 generations. To reach the present there are another 6 to 8 generations. Thousands and thousands more decendancy trees just like this one. Twelve generations at an average of 6 children per generation is 6^12 = 2,176,782,336. That would be over 2 billion descendants in the United States and Canada alone, a part of the world that has roughly 300 million living persons. There has been much tree collapse: we are all related, usually by many paths through the one global family tree.
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