FamilySearch can show Adoptive parents and Biological parents

Question

FamilySearch can now show both adoptive parents and biological parents. Here's an example:

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KWZZ-2YQ

It would be great if WikiTree can make it easier to show both as well. And also include them in the CC7 count.

Comments

I'm not talking about other software. I am referring to the WikiTree software.

Answer 1

So we discussed this a bit during RootsTech this past weekend.

We had already been discussing adding information from the adoption template into the Connection Finder. Aleš is going to look into how much extra processing that would require. This could happen pretty soon.

While discussing how to handle non-married partner relationships, handling alternative parent relationships could probably be done the same way. So we are thinking about it, but it's probably not going to be done this year.

Answer 2

If you are adopted you can add the adoption template which I have done on my profile. I have two profiles which both have the template so anyone looking at either profile will see my adoptive parents and my biological parents.

I don't want my biological parents listed on my profile with my adopted parents. I have done DNA tests which show my connection to my biological parents not my adoptive parents. My adoptive parents raised me and they are my real family. I barely have any type of friendship with my biological family members. I personally do not want my cc7 to be combined as they are two separate families.

I would think in order for WT to consider doing this there needs to be a G2G post asking those who are adopted what they want. Not every adoptee wants anything to do with their biological parents. Some never want to find their biological parents.

I am happy with having the adoption template on my profiles.

What about people who have step parents or foster parents? Don't they also have a say in whether or not they add those parents.

Comments

Yes I'm already aware of the template. But it's not a great solution either. One shouldn't have to have 2 profiles as that violates the design decision of one profile per person.

All I'm pointing out is that other websites offer features that WT does not have.

You're also assuming that I'm talking about people who are living. That doesn't have to be the case.

Answer 3

I agree that it would be a great improvement if we could have alternate parent relationships on WikiTree. As you say this is possible on FamilySearch. It is also available on Ancestry for example.

I know there are workarounds by putting links in the bio but these seem like a stopgap measure until WikiTree supports alternate parents.

There are many different cases. As Kathy mentioned there is the case of a living person who was adopted. But there are many other cases also.

I have been working on the profile for a person who was adopted in 1878. As recommended I have attached the biological parents as the parents in the data fields and linked to the adoptive parents and adoptive brother.

There is also the case of non-paternity events. All sources may indicate that the father was one person but DNA could show that the father was another person. In this case should we attach the biological father as the father and just link in the bio to the person who may have thought they were the father and acted as the father?

In a lot of cases it seems inadequate to always link only the biological parents.

As Eric says it would be nice for the CC7 to be able to follow biological parents but also alternate parent relationships.

If alternate parents were supported it would be good to be able to specify which shows up in tree views (like Ancestry does).

Answer 4

Wasn't someone working on a WikiTree app where people could toggle back and forth between biological and adoptive family information based on the Adopted Child template? Or did I just dream that?

I think being able to toggle back and forth between two different tree views is the best scenario because 1) Combining cc7 isn't appropriate. It inflates two different trees. 2) The Family Search system is confusing. Even though they label people as biological vs adopted, etc, it still looks like any other standard biological parent/child relationship. I've seen this done a lot for step parents on FS. People newer to genealogy don't understand that what they're seeing isn't a biological relationship even though that's how the connection looks. 3) People who were adopted do have two very separate trees (if the choose to have two). Just attaching an extra set of parents (like they allow at Ancestry and FS) doesn't do much for a person. They need to be able to toggle back and forth between those trees to view them and work on them. If WikiTree had something like that, it would be game changing for adoptees and others who have more than one family tree for themselves.

Just my 2 cents.