Profiles mistakenly added to this project?

Steven Smith, who started the project, asked me to add them. As it's his project, I would think he could have anyone added to it he likes. But I shall ask him about these particular profiles.

I added them as they are ancestors to the people who came to America. I'd like them to remain in the project at least temporarily to help get them cleaned up.

For example, Richard deVernon is an ancestor of the DuBois/Sayre line, Michael Pettit is an ancestor of the Van Meter and Burroughs lines (John Burroughs mother was Elizabeth Pettit), etc.

We could remove them later, but I'd like to keep them so we can continue to focus on cleaning up the entire lines.

If you guys think that's the wrong approach, feel free to let me know and we can change direction, but that was where I was heading by adding them.

This is the third case I know of where someone has tried to tell a project manager what profiles do or do not belong in a profile. Before I add a profile I'm in doubt of, I try to contact the project manager to find out if the profile in question is within the scope of the project. That's how I found out a couple project managers were told by others to remove profiles from their projects. I think some kind of project etiquette should be observed. I would think the project manager should have the right to accept or decline profiles to their project. I see nothing wrong in questioning a profile. But am I the only one who thinks the project manager has some rights?

This is the English major in me speaking, but if more information is added to the project overview, with the scope of the project fully described, some of these issues would not happen.

Steven, could you add a statement something like "This project will focus on the original settlers and their ancestors back #generations and their descendants forward #generations."

When projects were first released, curators had all the power. We decided who could join and what profiles could be added. In Geni's egalitarian way, projects now belong to everyone. It's a bit of a free-for-all at times, but overall, Geni is quite pleased with the way projects have grown.

Hi everyone. I'll add some language that illustrates that the project scope focuses on Salem County families and their direct ancestors. That should help make it more obvious to those who may have confusion over why certain profiles are part of the project. We'd certainly like to make sure people participate as much as possible, so I wouldn't want the description to cause confusion.

Maria... I noticed you described non-curator projects as a bit free for all. Had you noticed this project was falling into that category? So far, I'd felt this project was quite clean and orderly. Do you have some examples of curator led projects that are better managed? Possibly I could review some and get ideas as to how this project could be further improved.

Thanks! Steven

Thanks everyone. If I haven't overstayed my welcome I do have several profiles to add to this project that settled in the PIttsgove and Daretown, Salem Co., New Jersey area from 1700-1850. Now that I know that the project is designed to also include European ancestors of settlers I'm fine with their inclusion:)

Thanks Steve for spearheading this project!

Regards,

--Randy

Randy - no thank you for participating! I'm really excited about some of the headway we might achieve. I'm really looking forward to helping get the Salem Couny trees as complete and as accurate as possible. I actually started out by focusing almost entirely on the Hitchner and Sickler families. I entered the entire first three generations of Hitchners in Salem County and then focused on branches where I personally knew some of the living descendants. I also started early with the Freas family, which was another very Salem County family. I am interested in all Salem County families though as it seems they all marry into each other, and they also tend to spread all over the country eventually.

Steven,
No, your project is just fine. What I meant is that anyone can start a project, anyone can join a project, and, once you join the project, you can add almost any profile to it. I did not mean to infer that there was any problem AT ALL with your project, and I'm sorry if you took it that way.

It takes the dedicated work of the project creator to keep a project on track. As a curator, I thank you for starting a project and keeping it going. Good luck with finding all the profiles you need. for it. If you need a curator for assistance, just ask.