Exciting news! Add a new person to your family tree using Puzzilla.org newest premium feature called "New Person". Let your computer do the work of hunting through available records to find those with your lost relatives. With just a few clicks you can then add them to your family tree and reserve their temple ordinances if you desire. With greater power comes greater responsibility. Please use wisdom and judgement in reserving only those ordinances you and your family have time to complete.
To begin go to puzzilla.org. If you are a premium member click on the "New Person" button on the left panel. This will lead you through necessary steps to enable your computer to read the available records. After performing these steps they will not need to be repeated for the same computer. You are good to begin.
Click the "New Person" button again. Now click on Show me how that appears under the "New Person" button. Here you will find instructions on how to do research using this powerful feature. The pdf can be printed and shared with others as well. You will save yourself and others hundreds of hours using the latest puzzilla "New Person" service to do family history research. And as you continue attaching all available records to those you find, others will also be confident in your research.
Family history consultants will find this tool very helpful as they prepare ahead of time, to meet and teach others how to add to their family tree.
FREE - Remember, all Puzzilla premium features are available to anyone for free at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints family history centers, or at BYU, BYU-I or BYU-Hawaii.
Please send feedback through puzzilla.org contact page.
Showing posts with label research. Show all posts
Showing posts with label research. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Friday, April 1, 2016
Puzzilla.org Log - New Feature for Premium Users!
We appreciate the warm reception Puzzilla has received. We have heard from many individuals having great success doing family history research using Puzzilla. If you are not yet a premium subscription user, feel free to sign up for the 30-day free trial.
Short on short term memory and long between sessions? The Puzzilla Log is an invaluable new tool recently added to Premium Features to help users keep track of their family history research! Just follow these simple steps:
- Go to puzzilla.org
- Log in with User ID and Password
- A Puzzilla view of your family tree appears
- Select someone from the tree by clicking on a blue square (male) or red circle (female)
- From the pop-up, select "Log This Person"
- ID number and name of person immediately appears on Puzzilla Log, viewed in new Tab at the top of your browser
- "Next" and "Notes" - Click in row to the right of the name on the log to write what you want to do next and to write additional notes. These next and notes will automatically wrap in the space, so you can write as much or as little as you would like. ie: copy and paste the URL of a website or the "Path" of how you are related to this person.
- "Refresh ordinances" at the top of the page to see an update of completed LDS ordinances displayed on the right hand side of the log. (B C I E SP SS)
- "1 2 3 4 5"
These numbers are special "Status" markers that can indicate your research work flow or whatever you want them to be. For example, if you click on the small dash that appears under the "1" a small triangle appears in the chart in the corresponding color to the "1". You might choose this to mark everyone you are doing current research on. You might choose "5", a black triangle to mark those whose research is completed. Other markers might indicate family names you have shared work with or where others are doing research, etc. As you return to your tree, refresh your pages and click the new "Status" button on the left of the page. Colored triangles corresponding from your log will now appear on your Puzzilla tree to help you clearly see the status of your research.puzzilla.org
- "Search" - Use this feature to find anything within the log
- Click on words and numbers in the title bar of the Log to see the list sorted according to that category. Return to the Log's original state by refreshing the page.
Want to add or delete someone from the log? Here's how:
- "Log This Person" appears in pop-up on every person you select on your puzzilla ancestry or descendancy tree
- "Add ID" is a box at the top of the Log where you can enter the ID number of anyone you want to add. They will immediately appear on your list.
- "Delete Row" will remove the row you have selected
Note: Data is automatically saved 10 seconds after your last key stroke, this is an industry standard. Data is completely secure and can be accessed from any computer by you through your login.
Puzzilla Log is an invaluable tool for keeping track of your research work flow and everyone involved in the process. Give it a try. We welcome feedback on your success or suggestions.
Short on short term memory and long between sessions? The Puzzilla Log is an invaluable new tool recently added to Premium Features to help users keep track of their family history research! Just follow these simple steps:
- Go to puzzilla.org
- Log in with User ID and Password
- A Puzzilla view of your family tree appears
- Select someone from the tree by clicking on a blue square (male) or red circle (female)
- From the pop-up, select "Log This Person"
- ID number and name of person immediately appears on Puzzilla Log, viewed in new Tab at the top of your browser
- "Refresh ordinances" at the top of the page to see an update of completed LDS ordinances displayed on the right hand side of the log. (B C I E SP SS)
- "1 2 3 4 5"
These numbers are special "Status" markers that can indicate your research work flow or whatever you want them to be. For example, if you click on the small dash that appears under the "1" a small triangle appears in the chart in the corresponding color to the "1". You might choose this to mark everyone you are doing current research on. You might choose "5", a black triangle to mark those whose research is completed. Other markers might indicate family names you have shared work with or where others are doing research, etc. As you return to your tree, refresh your pages and click the new "Status" button on the left of the page. Colored triangles corresponding from your log will now appear on your Puzzilla tree to help you clearly see the status of your research.puzzilla.org
- "Search" - Use this feature to find anything within the log
- Click on words and numbers in the title bar of the Log to see the list sorted according to that category. Return to the Log's original state by refreshing the page.
Want to add or delete someone from the log? Here's how:
- "Log This Person" appears in pop-up on every person you select on your puzzilla ancestry or descendancy tree
- "Add ID" is a box at the top of the Log where you can enter the ID number of anyone you want to add. They will immediately appear on your list.
- "Delete Row" will remove the row you have selected
Note: Data is automatically saved 10 seconds after your last key stroke, this is an industry standard. Data is completely secure and can be accessed from any computer by you through your login.
Puzzilla Log is an invaluable tool for keeping track of your research work flow and everyone involved in the process. Give it a try. We welcome feedback on your success or suggestions.
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
6 Steps to doing free family history research using Puzzilla.org
Here are 6 steps to doing free family history research using Puzzilla.org.
Affordable premium features are also available for the serious user.
Affordable premium features are also available for the serious user.
Puzzilla.org
Beginner Tutorial
1.
Sign in to
Puzzilla.org using your FamilySearch user ID and password.
2.
Examine “Ancestors”
tree. Blue squares indicate males, red circles indicate females. Move your
mouse over the symbols to browse their names.
a. Notice
“Generations” field. Suggestion for
youth: change to 7 or 8 generations.
b. Click
someone in the topmost row to select that person
c. Click
“Descendants” button.
3.
Examine descendants tree. Selected person is at the center; children are
in the first circle, grand-children in the second circle, etc.
a. Click
“Targets” button. This adds a red
square to persons whose children have not yet been found. These are good places
to start because they are likely places where others’ research stopped.
b. Suggestion:
under Targets button click in “Birth
Range” field and type 1830-1870 to narrow the time to a period of good
record coverage.
c. Click
a target person. Suggestion: choose someone with an uncommon name.
4.
Click on “View
in FamilyTree”. Examine person details in FamilyTree.
a. Birth
and death: upper left
b. Spouse
and children: lower left
c. Parents
and siblings: lower right
d. “Record
Hints” and “Search Records”: upper right
5.
Click “Search
Records.” This is like a Google search and lists records in order of
decreasing probability of matching your target person. Suggestion: Click “Record Hints” if any are available.
Record hints show pre-selected historical records with a higher probability of
including your target person.
6.
Examine “Search
Results from Historical Records” or hint record details.
a. Look
for records containing your target person. Match the names, the event dates and
places, and the relationships to known family members.
b. Success:
Previously-unknown family members are discovered in historical records, such as
birth, marriage, death, census. Get help from a Family History Consultant to
help you add new persons to the tree, attach sources, resolve duplicates, and
submit ordinances.
c. Try again: If you don’t find a match in
the first Search Results page immediately, close that browser tab, return to the
Puzzilla descendants tree tab and select a different “Target” person. Repeat steps
4 and 5 until previously-unknown family members are discovered in historical
records.
d. Suggestion:
Try many searches; don’t get stuck on one person, one family, or one
descendants tree. Try a different descendants tree for a different ancestor
from the Puzzilla ancestors chart.
Saturday, April 26, 2014
How to Fish: Puzzilla.org training and Family History Research
Bill and I have been giving training on how to use puzzilla.org to do family history research and how to find and add cousins to our family tree in familysearch.org. He has been invited by several family history centers and groups to give presentations. We have given personal one-on-one training to family and friends. He is working hard to add additional features and useful tools to the program.
Most of my ancestors have been well researched and my pedigree lines go back many generations on all sides. By using the view on puzzilla.org I can now see all the descendants of ancestors that have already been found by others in family tree, and I can see where the research stopped. When I find a place or "hole" where someone does not have any children I go to their individual page within family search. Next I click on the search button on the right hand side of their page to go into the historical record data base, where all the indexed records are found. I search to find them in a birth, death, census or other record and look for their spouse or children so I can add them to my family tree. Using this process I have found hundreds of new cousins to add to my family tree. Some short videos on puzzilla.org main page easily demonstrates this process.
I like the analogy my husband uses about a father taking his son fishing. He does not take him to the supermarket to pick out a fish that was already caught by someone else. Instead, he takes him to the stream to catch a new fish in the wild. In the same way we search in the historical records to find someone who has not yet been found, and then we add them to the market, or family tree. (The bait is the person already in family tree.)
I am experiencing the phenomenon of moving from a scarcity of temple work to do for my ancestors, to now having such an abundance of names that I am asking family and friends for their help doing the temple work. Even after involving those I know to help me, I am left with much more work than we can possibly do. So I have been sharing the work with the temple. This means anyone attending the temple on any given day can be doing work for someone I have found. I feel that these people have waited long enough to have their blessings and I am excited to share the work.
I track the progress of my work on a spreadsheet. My husband calls it my workflow. I create columns for their Name, ID number, Temple work, Shared Work, Research, and Notes so I can keep track of my progress on each individual. I enter them on the spreadsheet in the order I discover them in my research. Information on one individual stays on one line and is condensed or coded so my mind can easily visually process the information. For instance, in the research column I use the symbol SS, to indicate that person does not have a spouse and I need to find a marriage record. Or I use the symbol SP to indicate they don't have parents.
Typically the names become grouped one family at a time, and I occasionally separate families using a colored line in the spreadsheet. This helps me visually identify families quickly, to follow or share with others. I also use different colors to highlight when my research or temple work is done, where I need to focus more attention, or names I have shared with different family members. This helps me see where I have been and where I need to go next.
Besides this I also have a program on my computer for my own pedigree and their descendants, in addition to the one on familysearch.org called family tree. This allows me to see the relationships I have to each of the people I found and enter other personal details that cannot be changed by someone else.
I hope this is helpful to someone.
Most of my ancestors have been well researched and my pedigree lines go back many generations on all sides. By using the view on puzzilla.org I can now see all the descendants of ancestors that have already been found by others in family tree, and I can see where the research stopped. When I find a place or "hole" where someone does not have any children I go to their individual page within family search. Next I click on the search button on the right hand side of their page to go into the historical record data base, where all the indexed records are found. I search to find them in a birth, death, census or other record and look for their spouse or children so I can add them to my family tree. Using this process I have found hundreds of new cousins to add to my family tree. Some short videos on puzzilla.org main page easily demonstrates this process.
I like the analogy my husband uses about a father taking his son fishing. He does not take him to the supermarket to pick out a fish that was already caught by someone else. Instead, he takes him to the stream to catch a new fish in the wild. In the same way we search in the historical records to find someone who has not yet been found, and then we add them to the market, or family tree. (The bait is the person already in family tree.)
I am experiencing the phenomenon of moving from a scarcity of temple work to do for my ancestors, to now having such an abundance of names that I am asking family and friends for their help doing the temple work. Even after involving those I know to help me, I am left with much more work than we can possibly do. So I have been sharing the work with the temple. This means anyone attending the temple on any given day can be doing work for someone I have found. I feel that these people have waited long enough to have their blessings and I am excited to share the work.
I track the progress of my work on a spreadsheet. My husband calls it my workflow. I create columns for their Name, ID number, Temple work, Shared Work, Research, and Notes so I can keep track of my progress on each individual. I enter them on the spreadsheet in the order I discover them in my research. Information on one individual stays on one line and is condensed or coded so my mind can easily visually process the information. For instance, in the research column I use the symbol SS, to indicate that person does not have a spouse and I need to find a marriage record. Or I use the symbol SP to indicate they don't have parents.
Typically the names become grouped one family at a time, and I occasionally separate families using a colored line in the spreadsheet. This helps me visually identify families quickly, to follow or share with others. I also use different colors to highlight when my research or temple work is done, where I need to focus more attention, or names I have shared with different family members. This helps me see where I have been and where I need to go next.
Besides this I also have a program on my computer for my own pedigree and their descendants, in addition to the one on familysearch.org called family tree. This allows me to see the relationships I have to each of the people I found and enter other personal details that cannot be changed by someone else.
I hope this is helpful to someone.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Genealogy Research Help - puzzilla.org
If you want to do family history research on collateral family lines, check out the website my husband, Bill, developed at:
puzzilla.org
Here you are able to view descendant charts of your ancestors to determine where new research needs to be done. This website is very new and still in the development and testing phase, so many improvements or changes may be added over time.
This website also gives a link to an eight minute research video entitled, "Finding Herman" and an instructional video on how to use Puzzilla.org. Both of these videos were created early in the development of puzzilla.org and there are plans to update them.
In order to use this site, you will also need to log into familysearch.org. Anyone can create an account following the links. However, if you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints you will want to sign up using your individual membership number, which can be obtained in one of three ways:
*Ask the membership Clerk
*It is written on your temple recommend
*It is on the membership papers the bishop gives you during tithing settlement
The same user name and password is used to access lds.org, so if you already have an account there, you will not need to create another one. Just use the same log in information.
Important: Write down or remember the user name and password you set up so you can access family search in the future.
The youth in our Stake have been given a goal to find one of their ancestors by August 20, when they will attend a Stake Youth Temple Day and be baptized for the family member they have found. This challenge was first given in June, at their youth conference.
Each ward called multiple family history consultants consisting of both adults and youth. Several training sessions have been held for the consultants. Each Sunday, during Sunday School, some of the youth and their parents are invited into a special class where they bring their computers and work side by side to find their loved ones. Progress has been very gradual, but we are beginning to see many having success.
Today, we are combining our faith and participating in a Stake fast. We are praying for the spirit of the Lord to guide the youth and their families in finding these individual names. It is thrilling to be part of this work and to feel the Lord guiding and blessing us.
If you are reading this blog post and are not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you may be wondering why we perform baptisms for our dead ancestors. Some of my previous blog posts address this question; such as the St George Temple. We believe every person born on this earth is a child of a loving Heavenly Father. He wants everyone of us to have the same opportunity to learn of him and return to live in his presence.
The Lord has provided prophets to teach us and the Priesthood to perform the sacred ordinance of baptism, as well as other ordinances found in the temple. Those who died without being taught and baptized into the kingdom of God, continue to be taught in the spirit world after this life. Since baptism requires that we have a physical body, those of us still on the earth perform baptisms for them and they have the opportunity to accept or reject the work being done. Their agency is paramount.
Our priority is for each of us to do the work for our own family. And after we have found a grandparent, we feel it is just as important to find all of their children and grandchildren, not just the one we are directly descended from. After all, don't they, and we, love all our children?
(Note: One hundred fifty-six youth came to the temple that day and performed over 400 baptisms, the majority of which were their own family names. It was a moving experience to see the baptistry completely filled by the youth and their leaders, with many more waiting their turn to enter, all the way down the hallway leading to the baptistry. A fireside was held afterward where they shared their experiences.)
puzzilla.org
Here you are able to view descendant charts of your ancestors to determine where new research needs to be done. This website is very new and still in the development and testing phase, so many improvements or changes may be added over time.
This website also gives a link to an eight minute research video entitled, "Finding Herman" and an instructional video on how to use Puzzilla.org. Both of these videos were created early in the development of puzzilla.org and there are plans to update them.
In order to use this site, you will also need to log into familysearch.org. Anyone can create an account following the links. However, if you are a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints you will want to sign up using your individual membership number, which can be obtained in one of three ways:
*Ask the membership Clerk
*It is written on your temple recommend
*It is on the membership papers the bishop gives you during tithing settlement
The same user name and password is used to access lds.org, so if you already have an account there, you will not need to create another one. Just use the same log in information.
Important: Write down or remember the user name and password you set up so you can access family search in the future.
The youth in our Stake have been given a goal to find one of their ancestors by August 20, when they will attend a Stake Youth Temple Day and be baptized for the family member they have found. This challenge was first given in June, at their youth conference.
Each ward called multiple family history consultants consisting of both adults and youth. Several training sessions have been held for the consultants. Each Sunday, during Sunday School, some of the youth and their parents are invited into a special class where they bring their computers and work side by side to find their loved ones. Progress has been very gradual, but we are beginning to see many having success.
Today, we are combining our faith and participating in a Stake fast. We are praying for the spirit of the Lord to guide the youth and their families in finding these individual names. It is thrilling to be part of this work and to feel the Lord guiding and blessing us.
If you are reading this blog post and are not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you may be wondering why we perform baptisms for our dead ancestors. Some of my previous blog posts address this question; such as the St George Temple. We believe every person born on this earth is a child of a loving Heavenly Father. He wants everyone of us to have the same opportunity to learn of him and return to live in his presence.
The Lord has provided prophets to teach us and the Priesthood to perform the sacred ordinance of baptism, as well as other ordinances found in the temple. Those who died without being taught and baptized into the kingdom of God, continue to be taught in the spirit world after this life. Since baptism requires that we have a physical body, those of us still on the earth perform baptisms for them and they have the opportunity to accept or reject the work being done. Their agency is paramount.
Our priority is for each of us to do the work for our own family. And after we have found a grandparent, we feel it is just as important to find all of their children and grandchildren, not just the one we are directly descended from. After all, don't they, and we, love all our children?
(Note: One hundred fifty-six youth came to the temple that day and performed over 400 baptisms, the majority of which were their own family names. It was a moving experience to see the baptistry completely filled by the youth and their leaders, with many more waiting their turn to enter, all the way down the hallway leading to the baptistry. A fireside was held afterward where they shared their experiences.)
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