Finding Your Hidden Female Ancestors: Research Tips That Actually Work

[@Elke_KB]

One stumbling block in finding correct maiden names I found was if the first child was illegitimate and had the mother's name. Was it because she was previously married or is that actually her maiden name? In many cases (old Europe) I found it was due to men doing mandatory military service and they were not given permission by their local magistrate or lord to marry beforehand. ...I haven't found much besides the standards on my ancestors (I'm a 1st gen), but my husband's and my siblings ancestors a lot more. I've made some wonderful discoveries. My husband's 2x great-grandmother was on the hospital board. His great-aunt was the dietician at our University. My brother-in-law's mother worked for British Intelligence during WW2 decoding messages. He also has a great-grandmother(1x or 2x) who owned the local grocery store.

[@AnnNottingham]

My 2x great-grandparents came from England to Monmouth, Illinois just as the Presbyterian-based Monmouth College was founded in 1855. This was one of the very few coed colleges in the 1870's and 1880's, and my great-grandmother attended. While I was snooping around, I found out how to order her records! From other evidence, she seems to have been very active in her community (where she met my great-grandfather) and intelligent.

[@kathyastrom1315]

I found an article about my 3rd great-grandfather that talked about his early years in the community of Mt. Pleasant, MI. He came there to manage the sawmill on the nearby Native American reservation, something I didn’t even know was there (I’m in Chicago, not Michigan). I have to do a follow-up email with the reservation’s researcher, who I contacted several months ago to see if she could help me find documentation on what was in the article. Supposedly, he was so well-liked by the residents there that they petitioned the “Indian Agent” in DC to make him the reservation’s supervisor in 1861. He didn’t get the job because he was a Democrat and the Republican Lincoln administration was handing out the positions. I’m hoping to find that petition.

[@Jan-xp8yi]

My Grandmother received a home nursing certificate from Virginia in connection with the National Defense Program. It was in her family Bible. I don’t remember her ever telling us about that. It’s interesting what you can find sometimes

[@aaafiddleplayer6511]

But if you find them later in life, how would that help in learning her maiden name? Also, what about the women that married before the census records listed the names of the wives and children?

[@aaafiddleplayer6511]

I would love to challenge someone to find one of my brick wall Great Grandmother's, it would make a fun KZbin video!😊