Advice before adding father of this pre-1700 Light profile?

Question

I can add a father and mother to the profile of John Light. This is who I can add:

• John Light b. 1650 in Massachusetts, d. 1690
• Dorothy Pike b. 11 Nov 1645 Salisbury, Massachusetts; m. (1) 7 May 1668 in Salisbury, Massachusetts, Joshua Pierce (1643-1670) m. (2) 11 Sep 1674 John Light in Massachusetts. Dorothy died 1714 in Newbury, Essex, Massachusetts

These are the sources I am using:

1. Marriage - "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29G-GVTW : 18 February 2020), Jno. Light and Dorothie Pearce, 11 Sep 1674; citing Marriage, Haverhill, Norfolk, Massachusetts Bay, British Colonial America, Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Boston; FHL microfilm 007009706.

2. Birth of Dorothy Pike - "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FC3K-WDQ : 15 January 2020), Dorethie Pike, .

3. Marriage of Dorothy Pike and Joshua Pierce - Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2495/images/41254_265599-00457?pId=81154967)

4. Marriage to John Light- U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700 - (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/3824/images/gpc_newenglandmarriages-0460?pId=156907) Ancestry.com

5. North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000 for Dorothy Pike. Ancestry.com.(https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61157/images/46155_b290345-00162?pId=3090789)

North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61157/images/46155_b290345-00162?pId=3090789)

Should I contact one of the pre-1700 projects or know about any style guidelines before proceeding? Thank you!

Answer 1

Hi, Luellen. The John Light profile linked to is entirely unsourced. The marriage date is correct at Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts. Of the citations you give above, I'm not seeing any primary source documentation that shows a parental relationship with John and Dorothy (Pike) Light.

However, the last citation in the Light family history book isn't very detailed but it directs you to Old Families of Salisbury and Amesbury by Hoyt pp 231-232.

I would use Hoyt as the citation to establish the relationship for which there are several footnotes to other citations, a will, etc. I think this can also help you properly source the profile.  It doesn't appear Hoyt ever found birth records for the children so it's good to give a little extra information on what does establish the relationship.