Pedigree Resource File reliability

How reliable are the "Pedigree Resource Files"?

Phil Wood...

As reliable as the person who researched them.

Jill...

As others have told you -- not !!

Anne Heafield...

Thank you Roy, that was the expression I was trying to think of, put very
succintley

I use it as nothing more than an indication that there may be someone to
find
The IGI is the same.
They provide a piece of information but nothing that could be claimed as
proof or even corroboration

Geoff...

BUT IGI info. from an extracted batch gives the name of the place to
search if you consider that the info. in the batch refers to one of
your ancestors. Batch info. is fairly reliable but always double
check with the source document quoted if you can get to an LDS Family
History Centre or County records office etc.. Always bear in mind
that names given in LDS batches are removed when submitted by an LDS
members so it might pay to search a film if you think your people
might be there.

The reason I ask is that I have actually found someone in my tree that
is listed:

Mary Quinton - Birth: 22 JAN 1775 Aston Cantlow

She is also listed 4 times in the IGI and here mother flip flops
between Mary Mills and Mary Abel, but the so called "Pedigree Resource
Files" of which there are two just give Mary Abel as mother.

Now apart from going to the actual Parish records from the 1770's to
get hard(ish) facts, would the "Pedigree Resource Files" be a better
resource than the IGI.

ecunningham...

Pete: Why not just ask the submitter? Both entries have names
and addresses
and I suspect the Royal Mail can still find the USA? You can always
use an online
switchboard listing to call if you want.
PRF's are relatively recent and differ from the IGI in that the
submitter actually lists their contact address. When in doubt, ASK!
You may have found new cousins.
ecunningham@att.net

Phil Wood...

No. The PRF entries are equivalent to the Patron Entries in the IGI - to be
treated with suspicion. Never rely on them without checking. So you do need
to go to the Parish records.

If you do start checking and find everything you check is correct you will
develop an increasing trust in the original researcher - even then they may
well have made a critical mistake in the bits you haven't checked yet.