FINDING THE MISSING WOMEN IN YOUR TREE

When I thought of writing this article, I was thinking of my great-grandmother. I know neither her first nor her maiden name. Her space sits empty on my family tree, a sad reminder of how our female ancestors become lost. I had other problems, two great aunts whose married names were unknown. This means that whole branches of cousins are not listed.

When I started my research on the Internet, I was hoping to find a concise guide that would make it easy. That was a futile search. However, the article Female Ancestry, by Roseann R. Hogan, Ph.d, gave me the clues to start my brain ticking.

Locating these women requires the same techniques as other genealogical searches, with a twist. Here is how I am going to go about my research.

SEARCHING FOR MY LOST GREAT GRANDMOTHER

First, I will obtain certain vital records. Birth records will usually give the maiden name of the mother. So, I well start with the birth certificate of my grandmother, her daughter. Since names seem to perversely appear with different spellings, obtaining the birth records of the other sons and daughters will provide a check. Fortunately, I know the state of their birth; and am almost certain of the county.

Next, I will try and obtain her marriage certificate, which will show her maiden name. Two sites that I can get contact information for obtaining these records are How to Obtain Birth, Death, Marriage and Divorce Certificates provided by NCHS - National Center for Health Statistics and Vital Records Information - United States.

Some tips to finding marriage records are in the article Finding a Marriage Date, by Karen Clifford. And, I want to be sure to first check what marriage records are online already by looking up Cyndi's List - Marriages.

Wills might be another source of research for me, although they are much more complicated to find. If my great grandmother received an inheritence from her parents....bingo, I have their names. Analyzing Wills for Useful Clues, by the BCG (Board of Certification of Genealogists) explains their use. The information I would find in a will would provide flesh to my family tree.

Another source I might utilize is old newspapers. These are usually archived at local libraries. So, I might need to look up some volunteer researchers, as very few past editions are on the Internet. I will be looking for engagement and marriage announcements. However, when searching both wills and newspapers, I need to be aware that her parents surname may be different than her birth name if her mother remarried.

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