How do I connect my profile to an existing tree?

Question

I can't seem to figure out (if it's even possible) to connect my profile to an existing tree without manually adding 30 generation of maternal grandfathers. I've search all of the help topics, but can't seem to find an answer.

Thanks for any help you can give.

John Strizak

Answer 1

Hello John,

And welcome to WikiTree!

The short answer is that you want to find an existing branch and make that connection once you find it.

The long answer is more complicated. Best I can do is perhaps give an example. You have pointed out Alvin Prather above. Good place to start. Let's say that Alvin's father (it's not documented on the profile - I'd highly recommend at least stating that in the biography somewhere) is Frederick Prather. And that he was born 1844 in Virginia. You would add his profile just like you've been doing so far. When you enter his name and birth date, you'll find a list of potentially matching profiles will appear just below the gender field, and you can browse through these to find the correct one. If there happens to be a Frederick Prather (again, as an example) born 1844 in Virginia in the list, you can click View to check it out. If it is a match, you can then go back to the list and click "Set as <father, mother, spouse, etc.>".

Doing this would connect you to existing profiles that are out there.

If you like, we can assist in finding your connection, but we'd need more details (where was Alvin born, when did he die, where did he die, did he marry, who did he marry and when, and things of this nature). If you know the name of his parents - even better. Anything you can provide to help narrow down the search always helps.

And if we can't find a match for Alvin, then perhaps we can find a match for another line.

Let me know if any of this is helpful.

Comments

I'm hunting for Alvin with a son Everett - I think I've found him. Born in Indiana. Wife Anna R. Son of William and Margaret.

"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHMJ-6G1 : 12 August 2016), Alvin Prather in household of William Prather, Utica, Clark, Indiana, United States; citing enumeration district ED 36, sheet 279B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0269; FHL microfilm 1,254,269.

"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMBJ-P52 : accessed 2 August 2017), Alvin Prather in household of Margaret Prather, Utica Township, Clark, Indiana, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 20, sheet 9B, family 197, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,363.

"United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKGW-647 : accessed 2 August 2017), Alvin Prather, Utica, Clark, Indiana, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 23, sheet 5A, family 99, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 342; FHL microfilm 1,374,355.

"United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKGW-6HR : accessed 2 August 2017), Alvin Prather, Utica, Clark, Indiana, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 23, sheet 5A, family 99, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 342; FHL microfilm 1,374,355.

"United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X41B-P52 : accessed 2 August 2017), Alvin Prather, Utica, Clark, Indiana, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 23, sheet 9B, line 95, family 74, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 580; FHL microfilm 2,340,315.

"United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V1RZ-KGX : accessed 2 August 2017), Alvin Prather, Gibson, Utica Township, Clark, Indiana, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 10-30, sheet 11A, line 6, family 222, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1031.

---

William Jacobs Prather, born 26 September 1939 in Indiana.

"United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXX7-NRY : 12 April 2016), William Prather, Indiana, United States; citing p. 23, family 187, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 545,802.

"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHMJ-6GG : 12 August 2016), William Prather, Utica, Clark, Indiana, United States; citing enumeration district ED 36, sheet 279B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0269; FHL microfilm 1,254,269.

He appears to have an existing profile:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Prather-1089

Answer 2

Since Alvin already has a profile, I proposed a merge of your Alvin and the other Alvin.

Comments

Dang - Eddie! You got there much faster than I did... THANKS!

And I see someone already proposed the merge - we're almost there then.

:)

---

This solved the problem. Thank you for your help. Obviously, I'm new at this and believed I had imported his existing profile. However, I had actually created a new one. I merged the new one into the existing and now I am connected to that tree.

Thanks again!!!

John

Answer 3

You are on the right track - you find an existing profile for a known ancestor, then add as many of yours until you get to that person's children, then connect.  It shouldn't take more than a few generations.  If so, try another line.  Be sure to check for spelling variations.