User Question: Merge Two Facts

I saw this question on a Facebook Group, not a Family Tree Maker group, but thought I would address it here. The user, had moved the database from one Genealogy Program to another. The question was:

Is it possible to merge 2 fact types 

[ say Address to Residence]

In FTM2017, you can right click  on any Fact, and there is a "Merge Duplicate Facts" option. That option would not work here. The Data from the Address Fact, would have to be Copied and Pasted into the Residence Fact. I am sure you all know that. 

The Reason I want to post about those two items is this:

The Residence Fact, should be used for ANY Record that claims the Location of where the Profile Resided, by Location. City, County, State, County. It's important for me, so that Place name, puts that Profile on the Map.

The Address Fact. takes that Residence Fact to the next Level. I say that, because, by Default, I have the Address Fact marked as Private. Yes, it's still on the Map, but the use of the Historical Place Name feature, resolves that Place Name, which is also important.  I have chosen, not to include any Address Fact, in the Ancestry Member Tree, since I mark that Fact as Private.

Clearly this is a user's choice. For me, I want the Address, every time I can find one, on the many records that provide it. I do NOT put that Address in the Description field, but the Place Name field and use the Historical Place Name feature.

What I have been known to do, IF that Address is in driving distance, I may go take a ride and take a picture of it. I have one photo, of where my grandmother lived in the last 1800's, in Waltham, Massachusetts. I later took my parents to that same place, so show my mother where she lived, but the house was gone. I only had the photograph to share with my mother. That photo, would be linked to a Citation, and the Citation linked to that Address Fact, marked Private.

On final thought about the Residence Fact. I have seen many users use a Census Fact. My question is always, is a Census a FACT or a RECORD ? I'll leave that answer to you.


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