G2G: How do we get the drop-down placename menu for the Massachusetts Bay Colony fixed?

Question

When trying to add a location to a profile using the drop-down menu, there is an error in the era from 1691-1776 in Massachusetts.

I'll use an example of Plympton, Mass., to illustrate. The current choices are: 

• 1776-now : Plympton, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States
• 1691-1776: Plympton, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay Colony
• 1685-1691: Plympton, Plymouth, Plymouth Colony
• 1662-1685: Plympton, Plymouth Colony

The place name in the date range of 1691-1776 is wrong.

Plympton and all the other Plymouth Colony towns were never part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. 

In 1691, Massachusetts Bay Colony and Plymouth Colony combined to become the Province of Massachusetts Bay. 

There were no colonies after 1691 in what is now Massachusetts.

"Province of Massachusetts Bay" is the correct name, and while using "Massachusetts Bay" would be incorrect as well, it would at least be tolerable as an option. 

I am aware that FamilySearch is the entity that supplies our place name database. I have reached out to them multiple times in an attempt to get them to revise this incorrect name. They respond that it's fine as it is and they are not an "encyclopedia of place names." They refuse to entertain the idea of changing it. Period.

I know that we've been through this before with "British Colonial America" (ugh!) and were able to get that removed from the list. What can we do to get this fixed, too? 

Many members use the drop-down for their profiles, and many also assume that the list is right. Others may know it's wrong, but don't bother to make the correction manually. So we end up with many profiles that are factually incorrect. 

Our ancestors who lived in Plymouth, Barnstable and Bristol Counties in the 1700s would be appalled that their birthplace is wrongly called "Massachusetts Bay Colony." 

Comments

This is also a peeve of mine. I often change "Massachusetts Bay Colony" to "Province of Massachusetts Bay" (or sometimes just to "Massachusetts" to avoid extra typing) on random profiles. I don't like plain "Massachusetts Bay," because it indicates to me that the person's life event occurred in the water.

There is a mechanism.on FamilySearch for submitting corrections for place names. I don't have experience with it, but I believe other WikiTreers have had some luck with it.

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When I see a birth in "Massachusetts Bay" I always envision a mother and child floating in a boat off Boston Harbor ;)

The folks at FamilySearch don't seem to see this as a problem, and I've tried that solution at least three times. Simply stated, their responses show that they are uninterested in the issue of "Colony" being incorrect after 1691. Perhaps if my emails connected with a New Englander in Salt Lake, the results would be different. But so far no luck.

Answer 1

Bobbie, the unfortunate answer is that we don't.  WikiTree uses that list but has no control over it.  The list is from familysearch.

We are aware that there are many errors in the list and you don't have to accept what it offers you, but can enter anything you believe to be the correct location at the time of the event that occurred there, in the correct language for that place and time.  You make an excellent point about many members not realizing that they don't have to accept the place name offered.  It would probably be a good idea for WikiTree to add a statement to that effect near the selection list.

Sorry to be such a wet blanket, but it is what it is.

Comments

Also, it would be helpful if a statement about WikiTree not being the creator of the locations in the fields was placed on the help page here:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Location_Fields#Automatic_Place_Name_Suggestions

Since there are often questions in G2G to add locations to the automatic list.

I also recall there being a statement on the profile creation fields about not having to accept locations that the automatic list suggests years ago. That is on the help page at the link above.

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I'm wondering then how we got rid of "British Colonial America" which was part of the FS list.

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You can submit a request to Family Search to Correct or Edit a place in Family Search Places.  So, there is a way to possibly get something corrected.

I have been able to update several locations that were spelled wrong, as an example, or wrong dates for the location being used.  I know that Bobbie already did this, but they won't change it for this location. 

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We got rid of British Colonial America by an explicit replace in wikitree js code.

Maybe some others could be added, but I don't think Brian will update the code for hundreds of invalid names.

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Thank you Aleš, I knew it had happened by some form of WT magic.

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But this one wouldn't be so simple, since it is time dependant. I think this could be resolved by the extension. I will add the tag.

Answer 2

I think Ian wrote in WBE an location selector extender. I think he or someone else could easyli add such exceptions to adjust the display. See: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:WikiTree_Browser_Extension#locationsHelper
Bobie, are all the Massachusetts Bay Colony locations wrong or just Plympton or just in that date range?

See: https://plus.wikitree.com/default.htm?report=srch1&Query=birthlocation%3D%22Massachusetts+Bay+Colony%22&MaxProfiles=500000

Are there any other locations, that are clearly wrong and could be corrected on our side? You can write them in form like:

1691-1776:
, Massachusetts Bay Colony ==> , Province of Massachusetts Bay

Comments

I got the answer in my locations table (Search for Massachusetts Bay).
https://plus.wikitree.com/function/WTShowTable/Table.htm?table=Countries&filter=United%20States&Histogram=1

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Aleš,

You asked:
> are all the Massachusetts Bay Colony locations wrong or just Plympton or just in that date range?

Yes, all locations in Massachusetts Bay Colony in the date range 1691-1776 should be "Province of Massachusetts Bay," with a possible alternate name of "Massachusetts Bay" allowed. The word "Colony" should not appear after 1691. 
 

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It's not just Plympton or Plymouth County that's affected by this FamilySearch error. Massachusetts Bay Colony ceased to exist after 1691. All instances of "Massachusetts Bay Colony" from 1692 to 1776 should be "Province of Massachusetts Bay."

Answer 3

Please see here: https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1594957/you-want-fix-any-problems-with-locations-location-dropdowns .

Comments

That'll be a challenge. I wish you much luck and an eternal fountain of patience.

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Thank you. Fortunately, I have that fountain in my back garden. 

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I see you need it already.