Home› Welcome to the FamilySearch Community!› FamilySearch Help› Indexing

Why not index county?

Janet Weston
Janet Weston ✭
October 13, 2021 in Indexing

https://www.familysearch.org/indexing/batch/4b2c65bf-a58f-4613-99bb-d64b9ba024fa

The purple field help for County states: "Do not index the county or city that may have been recorded with the parish."

Why should the county not be indexed if it is explicitly stated on the original document?

0

Answers

  • Ted D. Adams
    Ted D. Adams mod
    October 13, 2021

    Dear Janet,

    Thank you for asking your important question throught Community. We have taken the liberty to transfer your questoin to the department that is likely able to answer your question. Again, thank you for your Community-related question.

    FamilySearch Moderator

    1
  • genthusiast
    genthusiast ✭✭✭✭
    October 13, 2021

    The Project Instructions: ...

    This project includes the new locality look-up feature.

    As you type the locality into the field, suggestions may appear.

    If none of the suggestions match what is on the image, simply type what you see and press Tab.

    If the suggestion is correct, select it from the list and press Enter to choose it.

    Field Help: County

    Suggested localities may appear as you type. If the suggestions do not match the image, type what you see, and press Tab.

    If the suggestion is correct, select it from the list, and press Enter to choose it.

    If the locality has been abbreviated or misspelled on the image, choose the expanded version or the correct spelling.

    Do not index the county or city that may have been recorded with the parish.

    Do not include the parish, town, or city. Do not assume the name of the county from other information on the document.

    If the locality was not recorded or was written as a variation of the word "unknown," press Ctrl+B to mark this field blank.


    So the instructions are a little difficult. It appears you should start typing what you see and select correct suggestions - otherwise continue typing what you see. They appear to not want you to include County though the Field is named County:

    I hope this helps and is not 'clear as mud' - gigo...

    0
  • TrudySumsion1
    TrudySumsion1 ✭
    October 14, 2021

    Um. If the field is County, how exactly is one supposed to "typ[e] what you see" without typing the county name? Are they looking for just the parish name? Or just the county name? Why would "they appear to not want you to include County though the Field is named County"? Do you mean "they appear to not want you to include the word 'County'"? Or do you mean "they appear to not want you to include the name of the county"?

    0
  • Janet Weston
    Janet Weston ✭
    October 15, 2021

    Thank you, Ted, for your response.

    I should have noted that I am reviewing this batch, not indexing. The indexer left the county field blank; yet the first entry, at least, names the parish, town, and "County of Northumberland."

    The instructions appear to be contradictory and, as you say, "clear as mud." If I am going to err, let it be on the side of common sense. To me the presence of the county fact indicates to enter the county if it is stated in the original document. Otherwise, why have the automatic feature that brings up a county as you begin to type?

    Thank you for your input.

    0
Clear
No Groups Found

Categories

  • 24.8K All Categories
  • 593 1950 US Census
  • 47.6K FamilySearch Help
  • 100 Get Involved
  • 2.4K General Questions
  • 368 Family History Centers
  • 364 FamilySearch Account
  • 3.5K Family Tree
  • 2.7K Search
  • 3.9K Indexing
  • 474 Memories
  • 4.9K Temple
  • 270 Other Languages
  • 30 Community News
  • 5.6K Suggest an Idea
  • Groups