How do I find my ancestors?

There are a number of ways, but the “Search” function provides the most straightforward method. The Advanced Search form allows you to enter more detailed information about the individual for whom you’re looking for.


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What if I don’t find any ancestors using “Search”?

It is very common for the spelling of last names to change over time. If you do not find anyone with Search, try using Surnames and “Show surnames starting with:” and look for similar names by the first letter of the last name.


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How do I find an individual’s ancestors?

After locating an individual, click on the Ancestors tab at the top of the window. This will show you a graphical display of both the paternal and maternal ancestors. In the top menu you can also display paternal and maternal ancestors separate of each other.  Once you have the ancestor chart displayed, you can click on the arrows located at the far right ancestor if you need to see additional ancestors. Try clicking on the various options and see which one works best for you. You can also adjust the number of generations displayed (better with large monitors).


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What if I want to see an individual’s descendants?

The Descendants tab at the top of the window displays the descendants of an individual. You can also adjust the number of generations displayed (better with large monitors).


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Why doesn’t the “Search” program find married women?

When searching for women on the web site, always look using their maiden names. The search program will not locate a woman based on her married name.


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Is there a way to tell if two individuals are related?

Yes, the Relationship tab will show a graphic display of all the people between two relatives. To use this function, locate the first individual and then press the Relationship tab. Then use the find button to locate the second person to be displayed. Once you have the two people selected click the calculate button to display their relationship.


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The Timeline function looks interesting, what is it?

A timeline is displayed for an individual when the Timeline tab is clicked. The time line shows important events in history that occurred during the life of an individual or a group of individuals. It gives you a unique perspective to see what was going on in the world during the lives of our ancestors.


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Can I correct mistakes in the information?

 Not directly. You cannot change the live data in the system. But you can use the “CORRECTION AND SOURCE FORM”  in the top menu to send changes, updates, or comments to the site administrator. Information on which individual you are referencing is automatically attached to the message when you make a suggestion using the Suggest tab. The site administrator will review your suggestion and add it to the database in the next web update cycle. However an important consideration for adding any data to the site is having verifiable sources for the information. You can expect an email from the site administrator asking for references or citation data if it’s not included in your form.


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I cannot see detailed information for myself (or other people) on the web site, why not?

Due to concerns about security and privacy, anyone who visits my web site without an account will not be able to view any information (this is in the database) due to my “PRIVACY POLICY AND TERMS OF USE“.  Family members using an account to login to the site will be able to see EVERYTHING about EVERYBODY – dead and living.  I have instituted this policy to reduce the possibility of people attempting identity theft, by impersonating you, with data from my site: also to prevent predators from looking for young people.


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Can I get an account and what is the criteria?

Accounts are be granted to family members only and on a limited basis to direct descendants of families in our database whom I feel need to see information regarding the living persons’ records in the system.  Please select “TO REGISTER AS A NEW USER” on the “Home” page and complete the registration form. Under “Document” please indicate how you are descended from someone in the database, to register as a family member.. You will receive an email from the site administrator regarding the status of your request.


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What software are you using for your genealogy information?

The source information for this web site is recorded and maintained in a genealogy program called “The Next Generation of Genealogy Sitebuilding” (http://lythgoes.net/genealogy/software.php). ”  I am currently using version 13.0.3.  The main site for this database is here.

Another way to enter the site is through the top menu under “JOHNSON FAMILY GENEALOGY“.  Once there click the “LOGIN” menu on the top. is site is for family members only and you can request an account under the top menu “TO REGISTER AS A NEW USER“.

If you have other questions that we did not answer here, please send them to us so that we can expand and improve the FAQ


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