Genealogy Chat

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I know this is a silly question and I’m probably just clutching at straws BUT: does anyone think its possible that my gg grandmother HARRIET WRIGHT b.6/2/1838, whose birth cert only shows SARAH WRIGHT as her mother and no fathers details, might show a fathers name on her marriage cert? HARRIET was born Mar 1838 and I have a marriage for a SARAH WRIGHT for the following qtr in the same district – just wondering if its coincidence or whether maybe she married the father after the birth? Go on, someone tell me I’m living in cloud cuckoo land – and even if the above is true, without DNA I’ll never be able to prove anything anyway!!!!!!! Trudy

Trudy It's not a stupid question. However, the name on the marriage certificate might not be correct - just a name made up to avoid a blank. Alternatively, it might be the mother's husband, even if not the true father. I have a number of instances where the marriage took place after the birth of the first child, but that child took the husband's name after the marriage even though registered and baptised with the mother's name. Have you checked whether she was married in the name of Wright, or in her mother's married name? Another possible source would be bastardy orders, but you will probably need a local records office to find them. Regards Stan

Hi Trudy One of the sisters of an ancestor had a daughter before marriage and on the girl's marriage certificate it named her father who wasn't the mother's husband. Heather

Thanks Heather Hi Stan She married under the mothers maiden name of WRIGHT - have just ordered her marriage cert to see what it says. Thanks Trudy

It will definitely be worth getting the marriage cert just in case, but don't get your hopes up! Kate.

Thanks Kate

It's possible her father's name might be in the baptism register. nell

Thanks Nell How do I get a look at the baptism register - do I need to go down there or might I be able to order it on fiche at an LDS library? Thanks Trudy