A GEDCOM file was never intended to be read as a text file, there are a whole jumble of letters numbers and codes within them. Unless you have details of what each item means and where it fits then it is best to use a GEDCOM as originally intended, that is to exchange information between computers.

The following text is the file for just three individuals, (a married couple and their daughter), the file does not even include all the dates for births, marriages and deaths, some notes and reference numbers are quoted but this is a small file.. If all additional notes, sources and census information had been included it could contain over 700 extra codes and lines of text. Bearing this in mind you can see why a genealogy software program can save thousands of hours and reduce potential errors, just three mouse clicks were needed to create this file instead of laboriously typing all the details in manually.


0 HEAD
1 SOUR FTW
2 VERS Family Tree Maker 2005 (12.0.345 SP1) August 20, 2004
2 NAME Family Tree Maker 2005 for Windows
2 CORP MyFamily.com, Inc.
3 ADDR 360 W 4800 N
4 CONT Provo, UT 84604
3 PHON (801) 705-7000
1 DEST FTW
1 DATE 10 JUN 2007
1 CHAR ANSI
1 SUBM @SUBM@
1 FILE C:\Documents and Settings\Home PC\My Documents\FTM\sample1.GED
1 GEDC
2 VERS 5.5
2 FORM LINEAGE-LINKED
1 _SCHEMA
2 INDI,br> 3 _FA1
4 LABL Fact 1
3 _FA2,
4 LABL Fact 2
3 _FA3
4 LABL Fact 3
3 _FA4
4 LABL Fact 4
3 _FA5
4 LABL Fact 5
3 _FA6
4 LABL Fact 6
3 _FA7
4 LABL Fact 7
3 _FA8
4 LABL Fact 8
3 _FA9
4 LABL Fact 9
3 _FA10
4 LABL Fact 10
3 _FA11
4 LABL Fact 11
3 _FA12
4 LABL Fact 12
3 _FA13
4 LABL Fact 13
3 _MREL
4 LABL Relationship to Mother
3 _FREL
4 LABL Relationship to Father
2 FAM
3 _FA1
4 LABL Marriage fact
3 _FA2
4 LABL Fact 2
3 _MSTAT
4 LABL Marriage Beginning Status
3 _MEND
4 LABL Marriage Ending Status
0 @SUBM@ SUBM
1 NAME Glen philip Jones
1 ADDR uk
0 @I185@ INDI
1 NAME John Cheetham /Goulson/
1 SEX M,
1 BIRT
2 DATE 1862
2 PLAC Lincoln, Lincolnshire
1 FAMS @F1@
1 NOTE @NI185@
0 @NI185@ NOTE
1 CONC Birth Ref 7a 536 Q4 1862 Lincoln,
1 CONT
1 CONT Census Images Held
1 CONT 1871
1 CONT 1881
1 CONT 1891
1 CONT 1901
1 CONT
1 CONT The 1909 Kellys directory shows John Cheetham Gouslon, Grocer of 108 Hews
1 CONC on Road, Lincoln.
1 CONT The 1919 Kellys Directory shows the private residence of John to be numb
1 CONC er 22 Hewson Road
1 CONT
0 @I253@ INDI
1 NAME Louisa /Harrison/
1 SEX F
1 BIRT
2 DATE 1856
2 PLAC Lincoln, Lincolnshire
1 FAMS @F1@
0 @I254@ INDI
1 NAME Edith Mary L /Goulson/
1 SEX F
1 BIRT
2 DATE 1895
2 PLAC Lincoln, Lincolnshire
1 FAMC @F1@
1 NOTE @NI254@
0 @NI254@ NOTE
1 CONC Birth Ref
1 CONT Lincoln vol 7a pg 551 Q1 1895
0 @F1@ FAM
1 HUSB @I185@
1 WIFE @I253@
1 CHIL @I254@
2 _FREL Natural
2 _MREL Natural
1 MARR
2 DATE 1890
2 PLAC Lincoln,Lincolnshire
1 REFN 8915
1 NOTE @NF1@
0 @NF1@ NOTE
1 CONC Ref
1 CONT Lincoln 7a 907 Q3 1890
0 TRLR

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