Category Archives: How To’s, Hints & Tips

I Have the Same Last Name As My Pa

Just because a female has the same last name as her father does not mean she is unmarried. A relative of my had the maiden name of Mattie Huls and her husband (unrelated) had the last name of Huls. It is always possible that a woman marries a man who has the same last name as she does.

Note from Site Admin: One reason could be that this is not her maiden name but she had a prior marriage. In my own family, the woman’s husband died and she married his brother. It might not be a maiden name.

Recording the Execution of the Acknowledgement

A recorded deed in a county record office may have several different dates attached to it:

the date of execution–when it was signed.
the date of acknowledgement–when it was acknowledged.
the date of recording–when it was recorded.

There is a difference to these dates and in some cases all three may be the same, but the execution happens first, then the acknowledgement, then the recording. In some instances the recorded copy might not mention all three dates.

What Happened During the Gap?

I have a twenty year gap when I “lose” an ancestor. The only things I am certain of are that I cannot find him and that he moved during the period between 1850 and 1870. One approach that might be helpful is to learn about historical events that were going on during this time period and what have cause him to move. Were new territories opening up during this time? Did the Civil War impact his life?

Think about those “gaps” you have in your ancestor’s life? Then get beyond your ancestor and ask yourself “what was going on outside my ancestor’s life during this time period that might have caused him to move?”

Abbreviations Are Often Contemporary

An 1819 document used the abbreviation “M.T.” as part of the location in a document. It took me a moment to realize that the reference was to “Missouri Territory.” In 1850, such an abbreviation would not be used

Abbreviations were always used in the context of the time and place. Keep this in mind when interpreting them.

And remember that using abbreviations in your own work should be avoided precisely to avoid confusion.

License Does Not Guarantee A Marriage

While most couples who took out a marriage license did marry, it is always possible that they did not. If there is a record that a couple got a license, indicate in your records that it is a license date, not a marriage date. Even if they did marry, there’s no guarantee that they married on the same date as the license.

And clearly indicating that the date is a license date tells others (and yourself) that the marriage record has not been located.

Note from Site Admin: I found a marriage license for a now deceased uncle, but no marriage license. After checking with family members, they were never married. In Missouri (at the time) the license is stamed REJECTED with the reason that the licensse was never used within 30 days.