strange index item with extra information

[jennyblain]

Here's another 'strange index' on SP - the index entry gives information that is not on the actual record! It is from 1725, Cockpen.
The index has:

DOUGLASS WILLIAM JAMES DOUGLASS OR WITHERSPOON MARY LINDSAY FR61

The record says nothing at all about Witherspoon, though it is a lovely informative item. It reads:

William Lawfull son to James Douglass Tayler in Dalhoussie and Mary Lindsey his spouse born 6th baptised 11th January wittnesses William Lindsay and John Douglass in Dalhoussie

Now, I'm not complaining - that 'or Witherspoon' in the index sent me looking for such, and I found the birth of James (1697) and many siblings (lawful, I'll add), to William Douglass and Jenet Witherspoon. But it is a puzzle, and not the first that I've found where the index entry contains something that isn't in the actual record. The familysearch entry likewise has the father as James Douglass or Witherspoon. So how does this information get into the index? Apparently the indexer 'knew' who James's parents were, and used this knowledge in the indexing.

(The witness John Douglass is likely to be James' older brother, born in 1695.)
Jenny

[Montrose Budie]

Hi Jenny

The index entry is extremely unlikely to contain information not in the actual full OPR entry. Are you certain that there aren't two separate OPR entries with one of them including the WITHERSPOON reference.

Apparently the indexer 'knew' who James's parents were, and used this knowledge in the indexing

Simply not possible, unless, of course, there's a FamilySearch submitted entry as opposed to an extracted entry.

The only way that the indexer could have included the WITHERSPOON reference was if it is there in the OPR entry.

mb

[jennyblain]

Hi Montrose
Only one entry is showing in SP and in familysearch. This is the second 'strange' index entry that I've found, the other being a few months ago. In the old IGI the entry claims to be extracted rather than submitted.

The SP index item wording was as pasted into the first message, and the register page scan was obtained via that index link. There isn't a single Witherspoon in sight on the page, there are no notes in the margin or anything like that. I don't have an explanation, but there seems to be one entry, one index item pointing to it, and this puzzle of the bit of information 'extra' in the index. Perhaps there's a note somewhere else in the register that the original indexer was using, but if so there's no way to access it. Anyway, I thought people might be interested in this puzzle.

Everything else for that couple is indexed as Douglass and Lindsay, as one would expect.
(And it is a nice, informative entry, with occupation and family witnesses - would that many others had as much material!)

Jenny

[Montrose Budie]

Hi Montrose
Only one entry is showing in SP and in familysearch. This is the second 'strange' index entry that I've found, the other being a few months ago. In the old IGI the entry claims to be extracted rather than submitted.

The SP index item wording was as pasted into the first message, and the register page scan was obtained via that index link. There isn't a single Witherspoon in sight on the page, there are no notes in the margin or anything like that. I don't have an explanation, but there seems to be one entry, one index item pointing to it, and this puzzle of the bit of information 'extra' in the index. Perhaps there's a note somewhere else in the register that the original indexer was using, but if so there's no way to access it. Anyway, I thought people might be interested in this puzzle.

Everything else for that couple is indexed as Douglass and Lindsay, as one would expect.
(And it is a nice, informative entry, with occupation and family witnesses - would that many others had as much material!)

Jenny

Hi Jenny

Hmmmmm ............. quite strange !

mb

[carlineric]

I seem to remember that the indexing of the OPRS was a joint venture between GRO and the Church of Later Day Saints. Maybe some of the data was taken from the extracted IGI entries and used for the OPR index.

Eric

[Montrose Budie]

I seem to remember that the indexing of the OPRS was a joint venture between GRO and the Church of Later Day Saints. Maybe some of the data was taken from the extracted IGI entries and used for the OPR index.

Eric

Such a combination of data would be entirely against LDS policy.

mb

[jennyblain]

Well, as said, it's the second odd one I've found, that gives extra info - I posted about the other a few months ago. Two out of however many...

Jenny