Introduction: A Memorial Day Tribute

To wrap things up for Memorial Day, I’m returning to the original objective of creating this new RootsMagic 10 database for two family cemeteries. I wanted to discover how everyone was related to my family—if not by blood, then probably by marriage. These family cemeteries are my FAN club: Family, Associates, and Neighbors. Their stories shape my story.

As a child, I found refuge and comfort among their stones. They were there for all the ebbs and flows of my youth. I could feel their love and knew I had a purpose. That feeling sparked my lifelong pursuit of family history. This project is to honor them.

The Database: A Starting Point

There are 843 people in my database, but only 346 are currently linked as family. That leaves 497 individuals needing further research. I’m taking this opportunity to record who is buried next to whom, looking for potential associations through grave neighbors.

Unfortunately, there are no sexton records for these old cemeteries, and the town’s index lacks information on lot numbers or owners. The best clues may come from proximity in burial.

Using Set Relationships and Color Coding

From the beginning, I used Set Relationships and Color Coding in RootsMagic 10 to identify those connected to my main tree. As I uncover new links, I re-run the tools to recalculate relationships and update colors.

How to Set Relationships

1. Go to the People page.
2. Highlight yourself.
3. Click Edit > Set Relationships.
4. Make sure your name appears next to the “Change” button, or click to change it.
5. Click “Set Relationship”—relationships will show in the Info box at the top of the sidebar.

Thankfully, RootsMagic 10 now includes half-relationships and spouses.

How to Apply Color Coding

1. Right-click on yourself and select Color Coding.
2. Ensure you’re on Color Set 1, with the name set to Family.
3. Choose the blue color and label it.
4. Change the selector to “People selected from a list”.
5. Click “Apply highlighted color to people selected above”.
6. Use the RootsMagic Explorer to highlight yourself, click Mark, then “Everyone in highlighted person’s tree”.
7. Click Select and Close.

Now, all 346 people in my main tree show blue color bands visible in most views, and reports.

The Challenge: Isolated Individuals

The remaining 497 individuals are spread across many unconnected trees. Set Relationships won’t help here. To manage this in my main database, I use the Reference No. fact to track and categorize people using codes—especially helpful with tools like Ancestry TreeShare and FamilySearch, where relationships might be hidden.

I realized I could use the Reference No. fact to tag individuals by which FAN club (cemetery) they belong to. Later, I’ll add RootsMagic’s Association facts once grave neighbors are identified.

Creating FAN Clubs with Groups and Rules

I’m not going to enter 497 Reference No. facts manually—nor do I need to. RootsMagic 10 offers a tool for batch processing, but first, I need to create groups.

Group 1: FAN (H) for Harrisena Cemetery

1. On the People page, select the Groups tab in the sidebar.
2. Click the Add (+) button and name the group FAN (H).
3. For Type select Rules, then Set Rules.
4. Click Add (+) rule: select All.
5. Click Add (+) rule: select Tree > enter record number to quickly jump to a person, or enter a name. Click Select. Make sure the rule is set as Unselect.
6. Add (+) final rule: Criteria – ensuring “Unselect” is checked. Under Edit Criteria, chose the following filter:
   • Burial → Place details → Does not contain → Harrisena
7. Click, OK, OK, Save.

Group 2: FAN (S) for Seelye Cemetery

Repeat the steps above but:

• Name the group FAN (S).
• Change Criteria to does not contain → Seelye.

Assigning Reference Numbers Using Fact Tools

With the groups ready, it’s time to use a fun new tool in RootsMagic 10. This time-saving feature will “Add a Fact to Everyone in a Group”.  (IMPORTANT: This will modify every person in the group. Make a backup of your file before continuing.)

Go to Tools page > Fact Tools > “Add a fact to Everyone in a Group” and fill out the fact information.

Fact 1: FAN (H)

• Group: FAN (H)
• Type: Reference No.
• Description: FAN (H)
• Run selected tool → Message: “Added fact to 55 people”.

Fact 2: FAN (S)

• Group: FAN (S)
• Type: Reference No.
• Description: FAN (S)
• Run selected tool → Message: “Added fact to 347 people”.

Displaying and Using Reference Numbers

The Reference No. fact now tags each person with their FAN club. This appears:

• On the Edit Person screen, as a fact.
• In Reports and Views (enable under Settings > General Settings > Number to Display > REFN).
• In the People List view (Customize columns to include REFN).

You can sort the People List view by the Reference No. column simply by clicking on the column header.

Ready for Research

Now that my FAN clubs are defined and visible, I’m ready to dive deeper. I can sort, group, and explore data from multiple perspectives. I also plan to identify grave neighbors to add Association facts—bringing me closer to understanding the connections that shaped my family.

Closing Reflections

As I prepare for my cemetery visits this Memorial Day, I’m struck by the journey this project has taken me on. What began as a powerful desire as a child to uncover forgotten connections has come full circle as an adult. RootsMagic 10 has allowed me to bring clarity to the chaos, and through color coding, groups, reference numbers, and FAN club tracking, I’ve found a meaningful way to honor those who came before. Their stones may be weathered, and their records incomplete, but their place in my history—and in my heart—endures. This is more than data. It’s family. And I’m honored to carry their memories forward.

Have a very happy Memorial day.

In a previous Memorial day preparation article, I mentioned creating a new RootsMagic 10 database. My focus has been on researching individuals buried in two family cemeteries. I wanted to make sure I covered all bases during my visits—including resolving lingering research questions.

While entering data, I came across something curious: some individuals were listed in both cemeteries, requiring two burial facts. This oddity existed in my main database as well. I hoped to clear it up by examining the records more closely. After all, why would someone have tombstones in both cemeteries? These aren’t distant locations—they’re only 0.4 miles apart, situated on either side of my family home. I needed to step back and look at the bigger picture.

This is where a desktop program like RootsMagic 10 truly shines, especially compared to online family trees. I needed tools to manipulate and view data from different angles.

Creating Cemetery Groups in RootsMagic 10

My first step in RootsMagic 10 was to create a group for each cemetery. I have two options: Simple or Rules groups, let’s try both.

Group 1: Harrisena Cemetery (Simple Group)

1. On the People page, I clicked the Groups tab in the sidebar.
2. I clicked the Add (+) button and named the group Harrisena Cemetery.
3. For “Type”, I selected Simple, then clicked Select people.
4. In the RootsMagic Explorer, I chose:
   • Mark > By data fields
   • Filter: Burial  → place details  → contains  → Harrisena
5. After clicking OK a few times, I saved the group.

Group 2: Seelye Cemetery (Rules Group)

1. I clicked Add (+) again and named this group Seelye Cemetery.
2. This time, I selected Rules for “Type” and clicked Set rules.
3. On the Search Rules screen I clicked on Add (+) and selected Criteria.
4. Clicked on Edit criteria and added a rule using:
   • Filter: Burial  → place details  → contains  → Seelye
5. After saving, this group becomes refreshable.

A great new feature in RootsMagic 10 is the Refresh button, which appears for rules-based groups. The Refresh button will appear on the People List and the sidebar Group tab when the rules group is selected. Clicking it updates the group based on any new or changed data. The number of people in the group will display next to the group name.

Converting a Simple Group to a Rules Group

Want both groups to be rules-based? No problem:

1. Highlight the Simple group (e.g., Harrisena Cemetery) on the Group tab.
2. Click the Edit icon.
3. Choose the Rules option and set the appropriate rule.
4. Save the changes—your group now becomes refreshable.

Finding People in Both Cemeteries

With both groups created, I wanted RootsMagic to find anyone buried in both cemeteries. With this objective I went to the Tools page to create a third group:

1. Under Group Tools, I selected Combine and manipulate groups.
2. Set Group A to Harrisena Cemetery, and Group B to Seelye Cemetery.
3. For the function, I chose “in both group A and group B”.
4. I named the new group Harrisena & Seelye Cemetery and clicked Run selected tool.

To view the new group, I returned to the People page and this time selected the Index tab in the sidebar. From the dropdown list I selected the Harrisena & Seelye Cemetery group. I switched the main view to the Family view.

Using Color Coding to Spot Patterns

With the combined group of 12 individuals, I wanted to see if any patterns emerged. Color coding made this easier.

Since I’m already using Color Set 1 for my main tree, I used Color Set 2 for this project:

1. Right-click on a person and choose Color coding.
2. Switch to Color Set 2, name it Set 2: Two markers
3. Clicked next to the color orange and labeled it Two markers.
4. On the right, select Named group > Harrisena & Seelye Cemetery.
5. Click Apply highlighted color to people selected above, then Close.

Checking the Color code selector at the top of the program I confirm I’m on Color Set 2. When I hover over a person’s color bar in the main view I can also see the color set number, color and label.

Analyzing the Results

With the Family View and Index tab open, I selected the “Harrisena & Seelye Cemetery” group in the sidebar. Going through the individuals, I found the first two cases inconclusive—they need more research. But on the third person, bingo!—the Family View lit up in orange.

Everyone in the family except two children were listed in both cemeteries. Patrick appears only in Seelye, while Maria is buried elsewhere, possibly with a spouse. Then a name jumped out: John J. Harris. He was wealthy, built the Harrisena Church next to the cemetery, and placed the marker for our Revolutionary War ancestor. His funeral was the first held at that church after it was completed.

It became clear: many of these are memorial markers, not necessarily burial sites. I now want to determine which markers represent actual burials versus commemorative stones. Unfortunately, Find A Grave lacks complete images, so a physical cemetery visit—as planned—is essential.

Preparing for the Visit

Finally, I used the Individual List report to print my findings. Under “Include?”, I selected the Harrisena & Seelye Cemetery group and generated the report. I will print and save it as a PDF for my visit—just like I’ve done before“.

What’s Next

This wraps up my research questions for this phase of Memorial Day preparation. I still have a little more work to do —but we’ll save that for another day.

Memorial Day is just around the corner, and my latest project is ready to be put to use. I started a new RootsMagic 10 database where I’m researching the people buried in several nearby family cemeteries. My family has lived in this area since before the Revolution; if we aren’t blood-related, we’re probably connected by marriage. The goal is to link everyone together in one family tree.

When I checked the File Properties on the Home page, I saw that I have 843 people in this new RootsMagic database. Using the Count Trees tool under the Tools menu on the People page, I identified 346 individuals related to me in the main tree so far. My next step is to find out which direct-line ancestors are buried in each cemetery. Ideally, I want to print out a list to take with me so I can visit each grave.

Creating the Harrisena Cemetery Search

The first step is to identify which ancestors are buried in which cemetery. To do that, I navigated to the Search Page, specifically Person Search—Advanced.

One of my favorite new features in RootsMagic 10 is the ability to create, save, and reuse a set of search rules.

To do this, I clicked on Find and entered two search rules:

1. Ancestors – starting with myself, going back 10 generations, and including only direct ancestors.
2. Criteria – ensuring “Unselect” is checked. Under Edit Criteria, I chose the following filter:
   • Burial → Place details → Does not contain → Harrisena

Clicked OK once all rules have been added and RootsMagic displays a list of people who match the sequence of rules I entered.

This search removes all ancestors not buried in Harrisena Cemetery, leaving me with a list of just those who are. Surprisingly, I only have two direct-line ancestors buried there, including my Revolutionary War ancestor who first settled the area.

Before moving on to the next search, I saved this one. This allows me to run it anytime without re-entering the search rules. I clicked Saved Searches, chose New, and saw the search filter still intact. I named it Harrisena Cemetery – Ancestors, clicked Do Search, and it re-ran successfully. Now I could safely click Clear Criteria and Clear Results to start fresh.

Creating the Seelye Cemetery Search

This time, knowing I’d want to save the search again, I clicked Saved Searches first, selected New, and named it Seelye Cemetery – Ancestors. I entered two similar search rules:

1. Ancestors – starting with myself, going back 10 generations, and including only direct ancestors.
2. Criteria – ensuring “Unselect” is checked. Under Edit Criteria, I chose:
   • Burial → Place details → Does not contain → Seelye

Clicked OK once all rules have been added.

This search generated 10 direct-line ancestors in the results, including the son of my Revolutionary War ancestor and his descendants. Interesting—why the split between cemeteries? More questions to explore another day. With the search saved, I could now focus on generating reports.

Generating Cemetery Reports

To create the reports, I used an existing report called Individual List. I generated two separate reports from each of the Saved Searches. Under Report Settings, Include?, I chose “Select from list.” Next, I clicked Mark and selected Saved Searches. First, I selected Harrisena Cemetery – Ancestors, clicked Do Search, then Select, and OK. Once I ensured the report options were set correctly, I clicked Generate Report.

I could have printed the report directly using the print icon, but I decided to save it as a PDF instead. I’m sure I won’t be the only family member interested in this list. Now, I can save it to my phone and share it as needed.

I have more preparations to make for my cemetery visits, but I’ll save that for another day…

It’s almost time for the largest genealogy conference in the world—RootsTech!

RootsTech 2025 will be held Thursday, March 6, through Saturday, March 8, both online and in-person at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah. We’ve been part of this event from the very beginning, and we’re thrilled to sponsor it once again in 2025.

Special RootsTech Offer (In-Person and Online)

RootsTech 2025 is the world’s largest family history celebration, and we’re offering an exclusive discount to attendees. Save up to 50% on our software, including Personal Historian 3, Family Atlas, and the all-new RootsMagic 10!

If you’re attending in person, visit us at booth #1203 to take advantage of our special conference pricing—RootsMagic for just $20!

For those unable to attend in person, you can still claim this special offer online at www.NotAtRootsTech.com. This exclusive discount is only available through Friday, March 14, at 11:59 pm MST.

Attend Online for Free!

You don’t have to be in Salt Lake City to experience the excitement of RootsTech! Register for free to access hundreds of online class sessions, a virtual expo hall, inspiring keynote speakers, and other unique experiences designed to help you uncover your family history.

Relatives at RootsTech

One of the most exciting features of RootsTech is the “Relatives at RootsTech” tool, which helps you discover how you’re related to other attendees. Simply use RootsMagic to update your FamilySearch Family Tree and explore connections with genealogists from around the world.

Explore the Expo Hall

The RootsTech expo hall is the nation’s largest gathering place for genealogy products and services. Be sure to stop by booth #1203 (right up front) to meet our team, watch live demonstrations, and get special discounts on RootsMagic products.

Expo Hall Hours (Subject to Change):

• Thursday, March 6 – 9:00 AM–6:30 PM
• Friday, March 7 – 9:00 AM–6:00 PM
• Saturday, March 8 – 9:00 AM–3:00 PM

Exclusive In-Person RootsMagic 10 Class

While the virtual RootsTech experience is free, attending in person gives you access to over 250 exclusive sessions, the world-renowned FamilySearch Library, and valuable face-to-face networking with genealogy experts.

If you’re attending in person, don’t miss the opportunity to learn directly from Bruce Buzbee, the creator of RootsMagic! He will be teaching a special class on RootsMagic 10’s latest features.

What’s New in RootsMagic 10

• Date: Thursday, March 6
• Time: 9:30–10:30 AM
• Location: Salt Palace Convention Center, Room 155 BC

Join Bruce Buzbee, President of RootsMagic, as he unveils the exciting new features in RootsMagic 10. Whether you’re tracking health and medical histories, managing DNA matches, or exploring powerful new search capabilities, this session will show you how RootsMagic 10 enhances your genealogy experience.

See You There!

We can’t wait to see you at RootsTech 2025, whether in person or online! Don’t miss out on exclusive discounts, expert genealogy insights, and an opportunity to connect with fellow family history enthusiasts. See you at booth #1203!

We are delighted to announce the launch of RootsMagic 10, the latest version of our award-winning genealogy software that takes researching, organizing, and sharing your family history to the next level. This release comes with an exciting update to the free RootsMagic Essentials product and introduces a limited-time discount offer for both new and existing users.

What’s New in RootsMagic 10

We’ve packed RootsMagic 10 with innovative new features designed to enhance your genealogy experience and bring your family history to life.

• DNA Match Management: Record and analyze DNA matches, predict relationships, and generate reports using the Leeds method to help organize your genetic genealogy.
• Health and Medical History Tracking: Document detailed health conditions for individuals with the ability to generate comprehensive family health history reports.
• Advanced Search Features: Experience powerful new search capabilities, including rules-based searching and dynamic group management for more accurate and flexible data retrieval.
• Enhanced Data Management Tools: Customize the display of names for different cultures, copy or move facts between individuals, and share facts with multiple people more efficiently.
• Dynamic Group Features: Quickly refresh and update groups based on new data directly from the main screen without navigating through multiple forms.
• Simplified User Interface: Enjoy a streamlined interface with improved color coding, easy navigation between color code sets, and enhanced editing features for a more intuitive user experience.
• Context-Sensitive Help: Access help tailored to the specific screen or function you’re using, with both online and offline options to suit your needs.

New Book

We’re also excited to announce the latest edition of our comprehensive guide: “Getting the Most Out of RootsMagic 10.”

This book is perfect for users who want to explore RootsMagic’s full capabilities. It covers everything from basic data entry to advanced techniques like custom reports, citing sources, research tasks, and more.

Available for $19.95 and printed by Amazon.com, this book is your go-to resource for mastering RootsMagic 10.

New Videos

To help you get started with RootsMagic 10 and understand its new features, we’ve produced a series of free tutorial videos. These include “Getting Started with RootsMagic,” “What’s New in RootsMagic 10,” and detailed tutorials on individual features.

Free “RootsMagic Essentials”

RootsMagic 10 is also available in a free edition called “RootsMagic 10 Essentials.” This version includes many core features and is perfect for those who are new to genealogy. Available for both Windows and macOS, RootsMagic Essentials offers a risk-free way to begin your family history journey.

Download RootsMagic 10 Essentials at https://rootsmagic.com/try.

Special Discount Offer

NOTE: This discount offer has expired.

For a limited time, you can purchase RootsMagic 10 at a special introductory price of $20 for existing users, and $29.95 for new users. This offer is available until Sunday, July 7, 2024, at 11:59 PM Mountain Time. After that, RootsMagic 10 will return to its regular price of $39.95, with existing users able to upgrade for $29.95.

Take advantage of this exclusive offer and join the thousands of family historians who trust RootsMagic to preserve their family trees.

RootsTech 2024 is the world’s largest in-person and online family history celebration! And we’re offering RootsTech attendees a special discount. Save up to 50% on our software including Personal Historian 3, Family Atlas, and RootsMagic 9!

At our booth, take advantage of our special conference pricing. You’ll get RootsMagic for only $20!

Those who can’t attend RootsTech this year can get the same conference special online by visiting www.NotAtRootsTech.com. The offer is only available through Monday, March 4, at 11:59 pm MST.

It’s almost time for the largest genealogy conference in the world- RootsTech!

It’s being held Thursday, February 29, through Saturday, March 2, 2024, online and in-person at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah. We’ve been there from the beginning, and we’re pleased to sponsor this event again in 2024.

Attend Online for Free!

Register for free for the RootsTech online conference! It only takes 10 seconds, and you will get access to hundreds of class sessions, a virtual expo hall, outstanding keynote addresses, and other unique experiences to help you discover more about your story.

Relatives at RootsTech

There is also an improved “Relatives at RootsTech” feature that lets you see how you’re related to the other RootsTech attendees. Just use RootsMagic to update FamilySearch Family Tree to see how you connect to interested genealogists worldwide.

Expo Hall

Don’t miss the expo hall, which is the country’s largest gathering place for genealogy products and services. Be sure to visit the RootsMagic booth #1301 (right up front) to meet our staff, ask questions, view demonstrations, and get special discounts on RootsMagic products.

Expo Hall hours (subject to change) are:

• Thursday, February 29, 2024, 9 am–7:30 pm
• Friday, March 1, 2024, 9 am–6 pm
• Saturday, March 2, 2024, 9 am–3 pm

In-Person RootsMagic 9 Class

While the virtual RootsTech is free, the in-person event in Salt Lake City includes:

• 250+ exclusive sessions only available in-person
• Access to the world-renowned FamilySearch Library
• Face-to-face connections with friends and industry experts

Plus, if you are attending in person, you can come to a RootsMagic 9 class, taught by the RootsMagician himself, Bruce Buzbee!

RootsMagic: Growing a personal tree in a connected world
Friday, March 1, 3:00–4:00 pm
Salt Palace Convention Center, Room 155 D

Join us for a friendly, easy-to-follow guide to starting your very own family tree using RootsMagic. We’ll learn how to grow your personal family tree in today’s connected world using the powerful tools of RootsMagic. We’ll show you how to handle private information about living or unproven family links while connecting your non-sensitive findings with larger family history platforms like FamilySearch and Ancestry.

For years, RootsMagic users have enjoyed integration with leading online genealogy services like FamilySearch and Ancestry. This collaboration has let our users search records, synchronize data, and more.

RootsMagic has always been at the forefront, staying up to speed with the latest technologies and online services.

The Next Step: Introducing OAuth in RootsMagic 9

The latest release of RootsMagic 9 (version 9.1) marks a significant upgrade in how users interact with these online services. Adopting OAuth technologies, this update introduces a new online sign-in system, supporting more sign-in options — including two-factor authentication — ensuring that users’ online data remains secure.

Why are Ancestry and FamilySearch making this change?

Ancestry and FamilySearch, understanding the importance of data security, will soon discontinue support for the old sign-in methods. The goal is to safeguard user data and provide more flexible account creation and access. It’s a necessary step forward as web technologies advance and security needs become more complex.

When this happens, users of RootsMagic 7 and 8 will no longer be able to sign into them. RootsMagic 9 users who have installed the latest update will not be affected.

When will these changes take place?

Ancestry and FamilySearch, working independently from each other, will make the changes on their own timetables. The exact dates aren’t known at this time, only that they will be soon.

We wanted to give our users advance notice so that they will be able to move their data to RootsMagic 9, and become familiar with it before the changes occur.

UPDATE: As of Monday, December 11, 2023, Ancestry has shut off external sign-in access to their API. FamilySearch remains unchanged.

Why can’t RootsMagic update previous versions to support the new sign-in methods?

We cannot update previous versions to support the new sign-in methods because they are built on older technologies that are not compatible with the new security measures.

RootsMagic 9, however, has been developed with these changes in mind, thanks to considerable time and effort from our development team.

I use RootsMagic 7/8 and want to keep using Ancestry/FamilySearch. How do I get version 9?

If you use an earlier version of RootsMagic and wish to continue using its Ancestry and FamilySearch features, you will need to upgrade to RootsMagic 9.

Special Limited-Time 50% Discount

We are excited to offer a limited-time discount — upgrade to RootsMagic 9 now and gain access to the latest version, including enhanced integration with Ancestry and FamilySearch, for only $20.

This offer represents a significant saving of 50% off the regular price. To take advantage of this special offer, use the code UPGRADE9 at checkout.

Not only will you get uninterrupted support for Ancestry and FamilySearch services, but you will also enjoy all the new features and enhancements available in RootsMagic 9.

If you’ve been sitting on the fence, this is the perfect time to upgrade to RootsMagic 9. But hurry, this offer expires soon!

RootsMagic 9, the latest version of our popular genealogy software, introduces an exciting new feature called “Associations”. This innovative addition, also known as the “FAN method” or “cluster research”, is a powerful research tool that provides a unique way to expand family research and discover connections beyond traditional family lines.

It allows you to document relationships between two people in your file that aren’t necessarily related. They could be friends, neighbors, or even something like an enslaver / enslaved person relationship.

Adding an Association

You can add an association in two different places:

1. From the Add button on any of the People views
2. From the Add fact list when editing a person

When adding (or editing) an association, you can enter the following information:

• Association type: The type of association (friends, neighbors, etc.). You can also create your own association types.
• The 2 people: You can select the two associated people using the selection list. If the two people are reversed, you can use the “Switch roles for the 2 people” button to switch them.
• Date: The date (or date range) for the association
• Sort date: A non-printing date used to sort the association with other events and associations
• Place: The place for the association
• Place details: The place details for the association
• Description: A short (one line) description for the association
• Note: Any text you want to enter describing more details about the association

When editing from the Edit Person screen, you can also add source citations, media, and even tasks to the association.

Association View

On the main screen, the new Association view is a list of all the associations in your file.

From the association view, you can:

• Sort the list: Click the header of the column to sort by
• Filter the list: Type in the name of the person you want to filter by
• Edit either person: Click “Edit person 1” or “Edit person 2”
• Edit the association: Click “Edit relationship”

Association List

There is also a new report called the “Association List”. It displays an indented list of the highlighted person’s associations. The list will include all associations for the person, plus all the associations for the associated people for as many levels as you select.

To print an association list:

1. Select the Publish page
2. Select “All reports and charts”
3. Select “Association List (Individual)”
4. Select your options from the Report Settings panel

For a demonstration of Associations in action, watch the video tutorial available here. This new feature is a powerful tool for genealogists and family historians, offering a new way to explore and document the complex web of relationships that make up our pasts.