Advice before editing this pre-1700 Braxton profile?

Question

I have information to contribute to the profile of Elizabeth (Braxton) Mathews. This is what I can add: 

• I was trying to determine a source for spouse Thomas vs Samuel.  Also identifying an additional child - Isaac Edward Mathews.

These are the sources I am using:

• https://www.geni.com/people/Isaac-Mathews-Sr/6000000001142192026

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

Comments

Isaac's bio on Geni doesn't match their database at all.  It wasn't written by their PM, it's pasted in from this site

http://southernmatthews.com/1700s_isaacsr.html

which says his father was James (sr), whose wife was Jane (Unknown), and gives him brothers James jr, Thomas, Charles, Matthew.

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Looking at this

https://archive.org/details/someprominentvir04pecq/page/41

"Elizabeth Braxton" is clearly intended to be the 1st wife of Samuel and the mother of Elizabeth, who married Moses Battaley, even if there's no evidence that "Elizabeth Braxton" was actually her name.

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According to this, "Elizabeth Braxton" wasn't a Braxton, she was a Paulin

http://coveytrees.com/MathewsTree.pdf

http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~marylove/Mathews/Mathews.html

http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~marylove/Taliferro/Taliferro.html

I suspect the "Prominent Families" book is slightly garbled - "Elizabeth Mary" Mathews should be "Elizabeth and Mary".

Answer 1

Hi Lynn,

We have the Virginia Project for work on Virginia profiles (pre or post 1700), please join us if you have an interest in Virginia:

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Project:Virginia

Read more on our page for sourcing Virginia profiles here (in particular, see the note about state abbreviations not being used on Wikitree):

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Virginia_Sourcing_Help

In particular, you can see the listed birth county resources:

• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:King_and_Queen_County%2C_Virginia

However, if Elizabeth Mathews was born in 1685 then it would be impossible for her to have been born in King and Queen county as that county was not formed until 1691.  Also, I believe Wise county (death location) was not formed until sometime after 1776, so also impossible.  Perhaps Elizabeth was born in New Kent county in what later became King and Queen county?

Your proposed source, a profile on geni.com, is not a source in and of itself, but it may contain hints to help you find sources.  Read more in the above link on sourcing for Virginia.

You need not contact us again for pre-1700 Virginia profiles unless you have questions or need help. 

I'm happy to provide assistance as you may request in the future for Virginia, as this is my area of some expertise.  I'm also pretty knowledgeable about DNA if you have questions there too.

-William