Matt, The Geo Location Database has an extremely strict and inflexible structure. For locations that conform to its assumptions, it's a very good feature to have. However, there is such a vast array of differing geological and political divisions with areas of the world that no mechanized database will ever be able to handle all of them very well.
The database is providing us with suggestions, but we are not forced to follow them. At times we just have to list some locations by the various divisions and names that, to the best of our knowledge, apply in a particular circumstance. As long as it is correct, the fact that it doesn't match up to any particular database is not important. There are also inconsistencies in more modern times simply because not everyone or every place is located within the boundaries of a city. Some people live "in the county" or "in the township" rather than "in the city", and this also is not handled well by databases. Streets or subdivisions that lie outside of a city's limits are constantly being annexed to the adjacent cities, so that places outside of the city one day are then within the city the next day. We can also be the victims of "assuming" that places are within a given city simply because the mailing address uses that city's name. In order to get mail delivered to an address that is outside the city limits, the occupant must use the name of the city whose post office provides the mail delivery even though their address is outside of that city. Several small suburbs in this area share a ZIP code because the post office will not issue separate ZIP codes. Residents in some of those cities are quite upset that they must use the name of a city in which they don't live in order to have their mail delivered. So, just do the best you can at recording what you know to be the location. Databases are just a tool to help us, and we should not sacrifice accuracy because of their restrictions and limitations. Bob -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Matt Henderson Sent: Monday, November 22, 2004 10:59 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [LegacyUG] Pre 1776 Locations in US What is the Proper way to list a location in Colonial America? If the location still exists today the GeoDatabase will attach ,USA to the end of the location. Also, many towns were located in districts, and the Geodatabase will say there never was a county by the name of 96th District (for example) in the state (which there were no states prior to 1776, they were colonies). By the way, when were they actually declared as states, since the US constitution dates to 1796, afte the Articles of Confederation Also I am having problems with Indian Territories in Oklahoma and Georgia, and Cherokee Nation in Tennessee (before Tennessee existed), as locations also. Matt Legacy User Group Etiquette guidelines can be found at: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp To find past messages, please go to our searchable archives at: http://www.mail-archive.com/legacyusergroup%40mail.millenniacorp.com/ To unsubscribe please visit: http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/LegacyLists.asp Legacy User Group Etiquette guidelines can be found at: http://www.LegacyFamilyTree.com/Etiquette.asp To find past messages, please go to our searchable archives at: http://www.mail-archive.com/legacyusergroup%40mail.millenniacorp.com/ To unsubscribe please visit: http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/LegacyLists.asp
