{"id":3877,"date":"2025-05-23T14:58:57","date_gmt":"2025-05-23T20:58:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.rootsmagic.com\/?p=3877"},"modified":"2025-05-23T14:58:58","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T20:58:58","slug":"memorial-day-preparations-fan-clubs-and-grave-neighbors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blog.rootsmagic.com\/?p=3877","title":{"rendered":"Memorial Day Preparations: FAN Clubs and Grave Neighbors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Introduction: A Memorial Day Tribute<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To wrap things up for Memorial Day, I\u2019m 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\u2014if not by blood, then probably by marriage. These family cemeteries are my FAN club: Family, Associates, and Neighbors<\/strong>. Their stories shape my story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Database: A Starting Point<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are 843 people in my database, but only 346 are currently linked as family. That leaves 497 individuals needing further research. I\u2019m taking this opportunity to record who is buried next to whom, looking for potential associations through grave neighbors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, there are no sexton records for these old cemeteries, and the town\u2019s index lacks information on lot numbers or owners. The best clues may come from proximity in burial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using Set Relationships and Color Coding<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the beginning, I used Set Relationships<\/strong> and Color Coding<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Set Relationships<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Go to the People page.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Highlight yourself.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Click Edit > Set Relationships.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Make sure your name appears next to the “Change” button, or click to change it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Click “Set Relationship”\u2014relationships will show in the Info box at the top of the sidebar.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Thankfully, RootsMagic 10 now includes half-relationships and spouses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    How to Apply Color Coding<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Right-click on yourself and select Color Coding<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Ensure you\u2019re on Color Set 1<\/strong>, with the name set to Family<\/em>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Choose the blue color and label it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Change the selector to “People selected from a list”.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Click “Apply highlighted color to people selected above”.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    6. Use the RootsMagic Explorer to highlight yourself, click Mark<\/strong>, then “Everyone in highlighted person\u2019s tree”.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    7. Click Select<\/strong> and Close<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
      \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
      \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
      \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      Now, all 346 people in my main tree show blue color bands visible in most views, and reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The Challenge: Isolated Individuals<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      The remaining 497 individuals are spread across many unconnected trees. Set Relationships won\u2019t help here. To manage this in my main database, I use the Reference No. fact<\/strong> to track and categorize people using codes\u2014especially helpful with tools like Ancestry TreeShare<\/strong> and FamilySearch<\/strong>, where relationships might be hidden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      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\u2019s Association facts <\/strong>once grave neighbors are identified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Creating FAN Clubs with Groups and Rules<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      I\u2019m not going to enter 497 Reference No. facts manually\u2014nor do I need to. RootsMagic 10 offers a tool for batch processing, but first, I need to create groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Group 1: FAN (H) for Harrisena Cemetery<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      1. On the People<\/strong> page, select the Groups<\/strong> tab in the sidebar.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Click the Add (+)<\/strong> button and name the group FAN (H)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. For Type <\/strong>select Rules<\/strong>, then Set Rules<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      4. Click Add (+) rule: select All<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      5. Click Add (+) rule: select Tree<\/strong> > enter record number to quickly jump to a person, or enter a name. Click Select<\/strong>. Make sure the rule is set as Unselect<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      6. Add (+) final rule: Criteria<\/strong> \u2013 ensuring \u201cUnselect\u201d is checked. Under Edit Criteria<\/em>, chose the following filter:\n