Adding New People Through Witness

[Badger 0]

As I wade through the Census records I've just discovered that I can add new sons and daughters through Witness. The only problem now is what is the best way to associate my new son and daughter witnesses to their Father and Mother.

 

Thanks in anticipation

[Terry Reigel 0]

Angela,

 

I think you are describing the use of the "add new person" button on the Add Witness screen. While you can add children that way, I don't think it's the best way to do so. But if you like that method, you can connect them to their parents by going to the child's Details View, and double-clicking Father and Mother tags just under the primary Name of the child, at the top of the screen. When you do that you open a Relationship tag, in which you can enter the parent's ID# at the top.

 

I think it's easier to add the children before you create the Census tag, using the regular Add Person screen. That way the Parent/child relationships are created automatically. Then, when all the children are added, create the Census tag from one of the parent's person view. If you have the Children window open, with the name column in that window set wide enough to display their ID#s, and if you arrange the Tag Entry screen so that the Children window is visible, it's simple to add each child in turn as Witnesses.

[Michael Hannah 0]

Hi Angela,

 

I agree with Terry's suggestion for adding the children first, then doing the Census tag. And there is a trick to make adding a new child even easier. Once a child of a couple is added, change Focus to their child. Then click on the Add Person button, and click on either Brother or Sister. That method will automatically connect the new sibling to the same parents as the current focus person. And the Surname of the Father will be prefilled if you left on the "Preferences // Program Options // Prompts // Assign Surname of Father".

[JanisR 0]

I agree with Terry & Michael,

 

One of the things I do if I find a new, large family on a census or two is add one child using the census as the source, then add the child as a witness to the census event(s). Next I copy that child with all the relationships and events and sources. Then I go to the new child and change the name, approximate birth year, and sex when needed. I usually do this for new families where I have a couple of census years and a lot of new children. Just copy the child who is most like the one you are adding and delete that new person as a witness for any events they do not belong in. Do it before you add spouse etc or you could get quite a mess...

 

Another way to add the appropriate children as witnesses to an event tag is to use the "Add multiple witnesses from the Picklist" button and then filter the picklist for: "Father* is ID # _____ END" or "Mother* is ID # ______ END". Then just select which of the children should be witnesses on that census...

Edited November 6, 2011 by JanisR