I've managed my way through the thicket to devise an explanation, but I know there ought to be a better way! We all know it shouldn't take 1,200 words to explain a transcription error. In the mean time, we do what we have to do ...
Although you may find my journey through the briar patch interesting, if you can help me learn how to work with the references or finding aids better, I hope you'll jump over to the presentation at Genealogy.SE and give me a push in the right direction.
"Priscilla Kimball Preston" and the source
In new.FamilySearch.org, this "Priscilla Kimball Preston" (_ _ - _ _) is combined profile no. L8WP-GM6. The profile was developed from only two underlying submissions (identified as KGH5-CSK and KGH5-CXH).
Better yet, the combined profile reports two sources (and only two)--both cite extracted records. The citations to these extractions appear identical, but for a different "Record Number." Details follow; emphasis added:
Source type: Other, Image number: 384, Record number: 698, Batch number: I048212, Batch number: I048212, Location in source: p 78, Source template: INDEX05, Locality: Beverly, Essex, Massachusetts, United States, Language: English Repaging, Contributor: EXTRACTION
Source type: Other, Image number: 384, Record number: 691, Batch number: I048212, Batch number: I048212, Location in source: p 78, Source template: INDEX05, Locality: Beverly, Essex, Massachusetts, United States, Language: English Repaging, Contributor: EXTRACTION
Question 1: From the citations above, is anyone able to otherwise identify a specific source title and source record from which the information about "Priscilla Kimball Preston" was devised?
"Priscilla Kimball Preston" and the IGI
I could not get the extracted record itself to return in a search of the name "Priscilla Kimball Preston" from the FamilySearch collection, "International Genealogical Index (IGI)" for "Community Contributed IGI" records." (Nor did it return in a search of "Community Contributed IGI.")The batch number given in the citations is "I048212" (this batch number seems repeated twice in each citation). According to the wiki article, "IGI Batch Number Descriptions," batches identified with a leading "I" are indices. Unfortunately, these are not further explained.
Question 2: Should I be able to locate the actual extracted entry in a search of the IGI? If the answer is yes, then what is the correct way of using the citations and IGI search parameters so the extracted record indeed returns? In the alternative, was this extraction excluded from the IGI for some obvious reason? (I thought all extractions would have been in the IGI.)
Inferior/convoluted approach to devising the extracted record
The profile of "Priscilla Kimball Preston" (L8WP-GM6) in new.FamilySearch.org lacks much by which she would be identified directly (no birth or death information about her, for example). new.FamilySearch.org does identify her by associating problematic birth specifics for three immediate family members--two children and a husband (father of the children). Information from the summary profiles of the associated family members is shown below. The genealogicalMany submissions combined to develop those three associated profiles. Through a reasonably convoluted process, I'm able to identify underlying submissions in the other profiles that probably relate to the extracted data.
William Preston (profile K2NM-FNP). From among the submissions (54) making up his profile, I'm able to locate two submissions that each contain a matching reference (KGH5-CSK or KGH5-CXH) to those of Priscilla Kimball Preston. About him, these submissions do not report about a date of birth. They only report his (a) name ("William Preston"); (b) gender (male) and (c) wife's name ("Priscilla Kimball Preston").
More about his profile. There are many sources, including extracted records, for his profile. None that I could see refer to a specific submission, but two of the extracted records are identical to those of Priscilla Kimball Preston, as below; emphasis added:
Source type: Other, Image number: 384, Record number: 691, Batch number: I04821-2, Batch number: I04821-2, Location in source: p 78, Source template: INDEX05, Locality: Beverly, Essex, Massachusetts, United States, Language: English - Repaging, Contributor: EXTRACTION
Source type: Other, Image number: 384, Record number: 698, Batch number: I04821-2, Batch number: I04821-2, Location in source: p 78, Source template: INDEX05, Locality: Beverly, Essex, Massachusetts, United States, Language: English - Repaging, Contributor: EXTRACTION
In the case of the two daughters, I found similar but not identical submission references and in each case, these were the only entries that reported a mother "Priscilla Kimball Preston."
Mary Presson (profile LH8V-2PB). From among the submissions (21) making up her profile, one submission (KGH5-CSF) reports a birth 5 Mar 1695 at Beverly, Essex [County], Massachusetts; parents William Preston and Priscilla Kimball Preston. From among the many different sources and extracted records about this combined profile is one that is identical to a source in the profile of Priscilla Kimball Preston, as below; emphasis added:
Source type: Other, Image number: 384, Record number: 691, Batch number: I04821-2, Batch number: I04821-2, Location in source: p 78, Source template: INDEX05, Locality: Beverly, Essex, Massachusetts, United States, Language: English - Repaging, Contributor: EXTRACTIONRuth Preston (profile LH8K-8QC). From among the submissions (49) making up her profile, one submission (KGH5-CXS) reports a birth 25 Mar 1710 at Beverly, Essex [County], Massachusetts; parents William Preston and Priscilla Kimball Preston. From among the many different sources and extracted records about this combined profile is one that is identical to a source in the profile of Priscilla Kimball Preston, as below; emphasis added:
Source type: Other, Image number: 384, Record number: 698, Batch number: I04821-2, Batch number: I04821-2, Location in source: p 78, Source template: INDEX05, Locality: Beverly, Essex, Massachusetts, United States, Language: English - Repaging, Contributor: EXTRACTIONUsing this convoluted approach, I have thus associated the names of two parents, "William Preston" and "Priscilla Kimball Preston," with what I believe are two indexed birth extractions, one for "Mary Presson," b. 5 Mar 1695 [sic] at Beverly and her sister, "Ruth Preston," b. 25 Mar 1710 at Beverly.
Question 3: I only know what I know. Lacking identifiable entries in the IGI (see Question 2), is there any way to locate all "extractions" about William Preston and Priscilla Kimball Preston that might similarly be associated with the same source and page "78?"
Likely the infamous "page 78"
All the sources/citations described above identify a now infamous page, "78" in materials authored by or about Beverly, Essex County, Massachusetts. I'm able to otherwise identify a set of "Preston" records that appear on such a numbered page. (Don't laugh.) Yet other obvious record groups about Beverly can be excluded because the Presson/Preston, etc., entries appear in those books on pages numbered higher than 78. (Don't laugh.)Shown below is the upper section of page "78" from family pages in the Beverly town clerks records. See "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Towns Records, 1579-2001"; digital images, FamilySearch.org, Vol. 3 (M to S), p. 78; viewed as image 385 of 589.
I'm comfortable with the logic ("Priscilla Kimball Preston" vs "Priscilla Randall"), but it would sure make for a more straight forward explanation if I was able to directly identify the source from the citations above (see Question 1) and/or locate the precise entry in the IGI (see Question 2).
We all know it shouldn't take 1,200 words to explain a transcription error. In the mean time, we do what we have to do.
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Update: On genealogy.stackexchange, RobertShaw was able to use FamilySearch general search ("Restrict records by") to return two other extracted Preston entries from the same batch and page number. The records returned were the marriage and death of Priscilla (Randall) Presbury/Presson/Preston's son "Randal Preston." Those extractions reported his mother's name as "Priscilla Kimball Preston." (No one has yet been able to have the birth records return for either Mary Presson or Ruth Preston that report parents "William Preston" and "Priscilla Kimball Preston.")
You'll see the two returns for Randal if you type "Priscilla Preston" in the name fields and restrict the records to batch number"I04821-2."




Once you get to the batch reference you will see the extractions refer to FHL film # 760604 checking that film should lead you to the record. Which is record s of births, marriage s and deaths 1653-1915 Beverly MA tow n c_erk
ReplyDeleteHi Donna, Thank you. Are you saying the batch number (I04821-2) always cross references to a specific film? If that is the case, then there would be a direct relationship between the two entries for "Randal Preston" found in the batch I04821-2 and the mystery presumed birth entries for Mary Presson and Ruth Preston. If I had found the births for Mary and Ruth in the IGI, I would not have to "devise" the entries and source.
ReplyDeleteIn the alternative, if the batch numbers always cross reference to a film number, that simplifies the argument. TYTY. --GeneJ