Whiteford LifeSign in

Plain and simple

How to use this site

You do not need to be good with computers to use Whiteford Life. This page explains everything, one step at a time. If you get stuck anywhere, ask any family member — someone will walk you through it.

What this site is

Whiteford Life is a private home online for our family. It is one place to keep our news, our photographs, our family tree, our history and our reunion plans — so they stay together and stay in the family.

Only family members who have been approved can see the private side of the site. It is not public, it is not searchable by strangers, and it is not connected to any social network.

How to get in

There is no password. Pick whichever of these is easiest for you.

The easiest way: Google or Apple

  1. 1Tap the Sign in button at the top of the page.
  2. 2Tap Continue with Google, or Continue with Apple.
  3. 3Pick your usual account and confirm.
  4. 4That's it — you're in.

Or: have us email you a code

  1. 1Tap Sign in.
  2. 2Tap Email, then type your email address.
  3. 3Tap the button to send the code.
  4. 4Open your email. You'll get a short number, usually within a minute.
  5. 5Type that number back into the site.
  6. 6The first time only, we'll ask your name and which branch of the family you belong to.

You can use a phone number instead of an email if you'd rather get the code by text.

Go to the sign-in page

Put it on your phone

You can add Whiteford Life to your phone so it sits with your other apps, with the family crest as its picture. Nothing to download from an app store, and it is free. Pick your device below and follow the steps.

You must use the Safari browser (the blue compass icon). This does not work in Chrome on an iPhone.

  1. 1Open whitefordlife.com in Safari.
  2. 2Tap the Share button at the bottom of the screen — the square with an arrow pointing up.
  3. 3Slide the list up and tap “Add to Home Screen”.
  4. 4Tap “Add” in the top right corner.
  5. 5The Whiteford crest is now on your home screen. Tap it any time to open the site.

Waiting for approval

After you sign in for the first time, you'll see a message saying you're waiting on family approval. That is normal and nothing has gone wrong.

A family admin looks at every new request, so the private side of the site stays in the family. It usually takes a day or two. You don't need to sign up again or do anything else — just come back and sign in the same way, and everything will be open.

Where everything is

On a phone or tablet

Look at the row of buttons along the very bottom of the screen. Tap any of them to move around. Directory, History and your own settings live under More.

On a computer

Look at the row of words across the top of the page. Click any of them to move around. Clicking the crest in the top-left always brings you back.

  • HomeYour starting page after you sign in. It has a big button for every other part of the site.
  • FeedFamily news, photos and memories, newest first. You can read, comment and post your own.
  • TreeThe family tree. Tap a name to see that person, their dates and who they are connected to.
  • ReunionDates, schedule, directions and the RSVP form for the family reunion.
  • ProjectsThings the family is saving for or working on together, and how far along we are.
  • DirectoryA list of family members. You only see the contact details each person chose to share.
  • HistoryThe archive: old photographs, documents, stories and In Memoriam pages.
  • MoreYour own settings — your name, town, and what the directory is allowed to show about you.

How to do things

Post a photo or a memory

  1. 1Go to Feed.
  2. 2Tap the box at the top that says what you want to share.
  3. 3Type your message. To add a picture, tap the photo button and pick a photo from your phone or computer.
  4. 4Tap Post. Everyone in the family will see it.

Comment on something

  1. 1Go to Feed and find the post.
  2. 2Tap Comment underneath it.
  3. 3Type what you'd like to say and tap Send.

RSVP for the reunion

  1. 1Go to Reunion.
  2. 2Scroll to the RSVP section.
  3. 3Choose Yes, No, or Maybe, and type how many people are coming with you.
  4. 4Tap Save. You can come back and change it any time.

Look someone up

  1. 1Go to Directory (it is on the More page on a phone).
  2. 2Start typing the person's name in the search box.
  3. 3Tap their name to see whatever contact details they chose to share.

Fix something in the family tree

  1. 1Go to Tree and tap the person's name.
  2. 2Tap the button to suggest a correction, a parent, a spouse or a child.
  3. 3Type what you know and send it.
  4. 4Nothing changes right away. A family historian reads every suggestion first, so you can never break the tree.

Change your own details or privacy

  1. 1Go to More.
  2. 2Update your name, phone, town or branch of the family.
  3. 3Use the switches to choose what the directory shows.
  4. 4Tap Save my settings.

Your privacy

  • Your phone number, email and address are hidden by default. You decide what the directory shows, on the More page.
  • Only approved family members can see the feed, the directory, photographs of living family and the private parts of the tree.
  • There is no private messaging anywhere on this site, so nobody can send you unwanted messages through it.
  • If you'd rather something about you wasn't on the site at all, tell a family admin and we'll take it down.

If something goes wrong

  • The page looks stuck. Close it and open it again, or pull down on the page to refresh it. Nothing you've saved will be lost.
  • You can't remember which email you used. Try the one you check most often. If it doesn't work, ask a family admin to look you up.
  • Something about you is wrong. Go to More to fix your own details, or use the suggest-a-correction button on the Tree.
  • You're still stuck. Ask any family member who uses the site — everything here is easier to learn over the phone with someone than alone.

Questions and answers

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