Is a publication of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants a good source? [closed]

Question

Would this be the correct way to enter a source for Isaac Fuller (Fuller-4189)?

• Radasch, Stover, and Wakefield, Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, Volume Ten, Family of Samuel Fuller. (Plymouth, MA: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1996), p. 13 #9.

This is the book in question. 

Answer 1

I can't imagine a better source! The Mayflower Families project has been ongoing for more than 40 years, with it's goal of thoroughly researching and documenting the first five generations of descendants of all Mayflower passengers, and they are rigid in their source citation! New editions of all of these volumes are published as updated research is found, so it is important to pay attention to the edition (and authors) when citing these works. This one was first published in 1975.  I'm open to correction on the citation since I can't see the title page, but I'd use:
Lucy Mary Kellogg et al., compilers, ''Mayflower families through five generations : descendants of the Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth, Mass., December 1620'' vol. 10, ''Family of Samuel Fuller'' (Plymouth:GSMD, 1996).

Comments

There is an image of the title page here.

There are two "Original complied by" people (Katherine and Arthur Radasch), and two "Revised by" people (Margaret Stover and Robert Wakefield).

 

John

 

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Since you're working with the revised edition, I'd use the authors of *that* one:  Stover, Margaret Harris and Robert S. Wakefield.

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You can strengthen the citation further by including the relevant quote from the publication that supports the piece of data that you're citing. Example, after page number:

"22 June 1946: John Smith of Buffalo married Mary Jones of Cincinnati."

Answer 2

I hope they're a good source as the only time I've run across someone in the Dardinger line who looked to have possible Mayflower ancestors I went to the local Family History Center and looked the line up in one of those books.  And they were there just as I'd deduced.  So now there are a total of 2 Dardinger Mayflower descendents (fraternal twin boys.)  I suppose I ought to enter that line as I found some interesting sources.  Looks like there are 14-15 generations down to Quinn and Caleb  They are from John Alden and Pricilla Mullins.  I guess I'll run off and see how many generations i have to enter.

Comments

BTW, looking at the WikiTree, there are only 4 generations of the line entered and the fourth one is a mess being a GED import which hasn't been properly modified.  So now I'm off to post a g2g plea for help.

Answer 3

Yes, John; "The Silver Books" "Mayflower Families Through Five Generations", Published by General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1992. Is one of the primary Source References. I believe they have recently released a up-dated or revived edition.  https://www.themayflowersociety.org/   There are also more Source References for: GSMD. JPVIV

Answer 4

John, as long as you've got that book, what does it say about Susannah, wife of William White, both passengers on the Mayflower? Thanks.

Comments

There is no mention of a White in the index of Vol. 10. You need William White, Volume 13.

Answer 5

This series of 'Mayflower Families Through Five Generations' aka "the silver books' are virtually the 'gold standard' and often the only good source of information about the lives of many Mayflower passengers. As someone who has researched almost all Mayflower passengers in depth and written many Wikipedia articles about them, this series was extremely valuable. A case in point is one of my 3 Mayflower ancestors, William White, who has much information out on the internet from sources long ago discredited by the Mayflower Society, with his 'silver book' being the only acceptable source as far as the Society is concerned. In researching Mayflower passengers in Wikitree, I am often surprised about the great number of Mayflower passengers and their family members who could, but do not have cited, a 'silver book' as a source of information.

Comments

Is it available for viewing on-line either for free or through ancestry.com (like Great Migration) or through americanancestors.com? If not, that is probably one reason people don't use it as much: not as easy to access as other sources.

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I have purchased many of the "Silver Books" from various online sellers. The first 3 seem to be out of print. The families covered have been revised and included in later volumes. They are excellently documented. For the most part they cover the first five generations. Some of the families are so large that  are several volumes. There are cases where the 6th generation is mentioned (birth information only). Since the books are in copy write, they are not online.  

I do not pretend to be a specialist in copy write law. I have noticed that there are different copy write notices in different books in different dates of publication.

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Chase, have you tried Inter-Library Loan?