Advice before editing this pre-1700 Forrester profile?

Question

I have information to contribute to the profile of Katharine (Forrester) Edgar. This is what I can add:

• Alternate spelling of first name: Catheren, Catharene

• Birth location as Keithock, Scotland.

• Baptismal information: 18 Nov 1655 at Canongate, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

• Marriage info: 11 Jun 1675.​ Dundee, Angus, Scotland

• Death date as 16 Jun 1683.

• Death Location as Brechin, Angus, Scotland 

These are the sources I am using:

•  Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 
• ​Scotland, Select Marriages, 1561-1910​.​
• ​Letters and Genealogy of the Edgar Family - 1930

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

Comments

Tamara, go ahead and add your sources. In this case, it strengthens the DOB estimate.

Also ... you can add Katherine's profile to the Forster name study (see the Scotland branch).

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Done and thank you.

I note that FamilySearch has a profile for Kathirine Forrester that lists her parents' names. 

Kathirine Forrester, Female18 November 1655 – 16 June 1683 • LH8W-F4BParents: 

John Forrester

MaleDeceased • 976B-3L9

Issobell Baxter

FemaleDeceased • 976B-3L4

Is it okay for me to add these as well and source back to the records cited there?

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It is not okay to use the tree. It is okay to source the actual records that are connected to the tree. FamilySearch gives you the source citation, which makes it really easy to use. You just have to copy and paste it into the biography.

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Bree, please do not offer to help unless you are going to explain things. Just putting something like "Scotland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950" is not okay for a Pre-1700 profile.

It is unfair for you to tell newly badged Pre-1700 members, the incorrect way to source Pre-1700 profiles. Please take the time to explain it correctly.

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This page will help a lot Pre-1700 Profiles.

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Katherine, thank-you for taking the time to do this look-up. The Forsters of Scotland are not as simple to research as the English branch. So in this case ... you did good!

I saw that one of your sources was already on the profile, and you offered two indexes from a relatively easy identifiable repository that had vital dates in the ballpark of what the profile stated. And because no other sources were given, the 2 dates from the indexes offer a little more support.

Ordinarily ... for massively-in-common ancestors, avoid the indexes and go for primary or a good secondary source (inq. pm., wills, parish reg. baptism, etc). But when no other date is found or cited on the profile, note your findings (try to put it under a Notes or Research Notes header).

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Ok I'll add research notes per suggestions and see if I can dig up actual records for her parents per the FamilyTree search.

Thanks everyone. We can consider this closed.

Answer 1

Hi Tamara,

Those sound like Ancestry sources. Some Ancestry sources like parish records are reliable. Some of their sources and records are not. Look at the source on their source. If it says it comes from multiple user trees it is not a source. Family trees are not a source, especially for Pre-1700 profiles. Their sources should be sourced with a reliable source.

Have you tried RootSearch and FamilySearch?