Genealogy Software - Handling second unions / step relationships?

[Voltaire1694]

Hi all.  I'm scouting around for genealogy software - I've browsed the great Wikipedia comparison.  I like the look of the outputs (charts) in Family Historian and Legacy, to a lesser extent FTB, FTM, Genbox and GenoPro.  However, before beginning to download and type madly, does anyone have any feedback on how these (or other) programs handle and depict less-than-usual relationships like second unions (marriages) with offspring, step relationships etc?  Thanks.

[kevinf2349]

I use Legacy 7.5 and it handles all those relationships extremely well. There is an option you can select whereby 'step children' get listed with the ½ notation next to it. It also gives the first name of the mother in brackets after the name of the child.

The number of unions is denoted on the first icon (a little picture of a couple).

Not sure how it will handle same sex partnerships though, but as I don't have any in the family yet I am not sure I am going to worry about that just yet.

Hope this helps.

Kevin

[mshrmh]

I use Family Historian (version 4 - the current one is 5). There's lots of options in setting up reports so my way isn't the only one and another way may suit you. I've just looked at one ancestor who married twice and had children from both marriages - using that person as the focus my charts show links to both spouses and from those the relevant children. The text report also clearly shows the two marriages and children separately.

I can't at the moment think of any step-children on the database (there are some, but sideways & not from closer ancestors) to see what is possible there.

FH has far more options than I've ever explored - I tend to see what comes out and then tweak, rather than starting from scratch. There is an online forum, which I've found helpful:
http://www.fhug.org.uk/cgi-bin/index.cgi

[Voltaire1694]

Many thanks for the responses so far.  I've found one person who married two members of my family, he married like a cousin after both their first spouses had died.  No children thankfully, to reduce the complexity!  I myself have a step-sister to represent.  I like the reference to same sex relationships above - none here yet, but interesting question for the genealogists of the near future!

[a chesters]

I use Legacy 7.4, and as Kevin says, it handles these relationships very well.

I have just looked at the charting it can produce, and it handles that very well also.

One of the ancestors had three wives. On the decendant chart, all three show up, and the offspring are well shown, with who belongs to whom all properly linked

A Chesters

[kevinf2349]

Maybe I am a little confused here. 

Do you mean that they married the exact same person for a second time and had additional children?

I know that in Legacy you can link to an already existing person but I have never tried doing it to a person that is already linked as a spouse. That could be interesting!

I will dabble and see what happens.  Watch this space!

It looks like it handles it just fine. I added Jane DOE only once and had her marry John SMITH twice and have a child by him each time.

Kevin

[robbo43]

I have a case where someone who when his wife died married her sister (illegal at the time).  There were children from both marriages.  Family Historian copes perfectly with that, it also handles first & second cousin marriages without problem.

Robert

[KGarrad]

I use RootsMagic4 - and have never had a problem with such relationships.

I had an early introduction to this, as I found my grandfather married 3 times, and had children by each wife!

The first and 3rd marriages I knew all about; but the 2nd was a complete surprise!

I also have cousins marrying, and two families where 3 children of one family married 3 children of the 2nd family. AND the parents shared grandparents!

All these events are perfectly OK.

[mshrmh]

I have a case where someone who when his wife died married her sister (illegal at the time).  There were children from both marriages.  Family Historian copes perfectly with that, it also handles first & second cousin marriages without problem.

Robert

Robert - have we got the same ancestor? 

I've plenty of marriages "within the family" - cousins, second cousins etc & similar to KGarrad marriages between the same families are almost the norm - I, too, have three children of one several*great-uncle marrying three of the children of one of his brothers - ie first cousins, but not "double first" like KGarrad's.