Should Parents of Thomas Hayward, ca. 1600-1681, Be Disconnected?

Question

I have been researching Thomas Hayward (of Aylesford, Kent, and Bridgewater, Plymouth Colony) in preparation for a merge of Hayward-347 and Hayward-270. I find that they are attached to two different fathers: John and Thomas.  Thomas was probably born about 1599 or so.  I can find no evidence for any father or mother. The enrollment record for the "Hercules" (1635) states that Thomas was a tailor of Aylesford, but that doesn't even mean that he was born there.  The baptismal records for Aylesford do not go that far back, and I have found no documentary evidence of his parentage.  Anderson (GMImigrants) gives nothing for his origins.

I propose that Thomas should be disconnected from all parents.

Answer 1

I don't know what the official position of wikitree would be on this, but as a genealogist, I'd say disconnect him if you aren't sure of the relationship, but put some kind of comment into the notes indicating this has been suggested as a possible (but unsourced) relationship,and clearly state your reasoning on it.

Comments

Corinne, what you describe IS the policy of at least the Puritan Great Migration project here. We create at the top of the profile a section called == Disputed Origins == and summarize, briefly, the discrepancies, linking to the speculative, but unproven parents/relations. If we don't do this, someone else will come along and re-attach them.

Vic, I support your proposal.

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Yes, Vic, I agree.  I vote the best thing is to detach, leaving a note in the profile.  That way, we don't perpetuate non-facts.

As you already know ... but just for those who might be newer, so important to include everything you wrote here, so that no one has to "re-invent the wheel."  We will know what area has been covered already.  For instance, you found the baptismal records at Aylesford were not helpful.  Then the next person doesn't need to look there, and can move on to something else.  Perfect! 

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What Cynthia said! Especially concerning records contemporaneous to the time period.