I wouldn't call the PNA "absurd". I would call it incomplete and has a few errors (some parts of the world worse than others) and is limiting when it only considers 4 part locations, when 5 or 6 parts would be much better, with the PRIMARY problem that the PNA and FTM"s structure offers no help in how to handle historical names, while at the same time giving the opportunity to find a historical place in a current map if you wanted to go visit.
Beyond the PNA and looking at FTM itself - it has virtually no limitations on how to structure a place name, as long as "component" pieces are separate by a comma and a space.
For example, the following works fine in FTM - and can be resolved so that it will show in the Heirarchical View.
St Mary's Church, 1045 Avenue, Quogue, Southampton, Suffolk, New York, USA
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But the PNA will try to resolve pre-Civil War
Preston County, Virginia to
Preston County, West Virginia, USA
and will try to resolve
Tyrone, Steuben, New York, USA for the 1840 census to:
Tyrone, Schuyler, New York, USA - because that's where it is now.
______________________
FTM has no problem with general subdivisions being included in names. They will resolve without removing them. (This was a problem until this a FTM2012 update). This includes the words Township and County. Trying to resolve those in versions before FTM2012 will remove them.
_________________
For whatever it's worth:
Borough of County of
Manhattan, New York
The Bronx, Bronx
Brooklyn, Kings
Queens, Queens
Staten Island, Richmond
Beyond the PNA and looking at FTM itself - it has virtually no limitations on how to structure a place name, as long as "component" pieces are separate by a comma and a space.
For example, the following works fine in FTM - and can be resolved so that it will show in the Heirarchical View.
St Mary's Church, 1045 Avenue, Quogue, Southampton, Suffolk, New York, USA
_________________
But the PNA will try to resolve pre-Civil War
Preston County, Virginia to
Preston County, West Virginia, USA
and will try to resolve
Tyrone, Steuben, New York, USA for the 1840 census to:
Tyrone, Schuyler, New York, USA - because that's where it is now.
______________________
FTM has no problem with general subdivisions being included in names. They will resolve without removing them. (This was a problem until this a FTM2012 update). This includes the words Township and County. Trying to resolve those in versions before FTM2012 will remove them.
_________________
For whatever it's worth:
Borough of County of
Manhattan, New York
The Bronx, Bronx
Brooklyn, Kings
Queens, Queens
Staten Island, Richmond