Questions tagged [19th-century]
For questions about research in the period from 1801 to 1900.
410
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Sources for late 19th and early 20th century Belgium and France?
I have in my tree an interesting, if hard to pin down, individual named Francis (sometimes François) Unwin who was apparently born in Brussels around 1885.
I first encountered him in the 1891 Census ...
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3
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What is this Delaware marriage document?
I recently found (via ancestry.com) this document regarding the marriage of my great-grandparents (specifically my father's mother's parents) in 1883, from the Delaware Marriage Records, 1744-1912. ...
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1
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South Carolina indentured servant
I suspect my great-grandmother may have arrived in South Carolina as an indentured servant early in the 19th century. I believe she was of Scotch/Irish origin. Any ideas where I might find evidence ...
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4
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1
answer
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Records for 'aide' to officer in US Civil War
One of my ancestors "fought" in the US Civil War and I am seeking other places to find information. My great-great-grandfather, Herbert Kirkwood Sparrell (1847-1923) (HKS), went to the Civil War with ...
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2
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How much did people travel in the early 1800's?
Our family bible tells me that my gx2 grandfathe3 Robert Chapman was born in Cornwall in 1811 but despite searching for 20 years (and building up a tree containing 7,000+ ancestors I can't locate him ...
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2
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Can anyone decipher the name of this Royal Navy ship in Beruit in 1861?
Can anyone work out what the name of this ship is for me please it is from the 1861 census reference RG9/4441/232/30
Thanks for any suggestions
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13
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1
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Andrew Wilson remains an enigma
I am trying to find the parentage and immigration for Andrew Wilson my 2nd great grandfather. According to family search he was born on August 1, 1838 in Gulladuff, Maghera Parish in Londonderry ...
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3
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How might a "nurse-child" have been placed with their carers?
In the 1861 census of England, the sister of one of my ancestors is shown living as a 'nurse-child' some distance across London from where her mother was in hospital. How would the placement of a ...
user104
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3
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How complete are the online databases for Manx parish records?
So far I have found two online sources for parish records from the Isle of Man.
The Manx National Museum’s “iMuseum”
FamilySearch.org’s transcription of Isle of Man Parish Registers
There seem to be ...
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7
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4
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Is there an alternative to the National Archive of Scotland for 19th century Scottish prison records?
The prison records for Scotland are available in the National Archives of Scotland. Are there alternative online sources for some of these? (I'm in Australia, so tripping to Edinburgh isn't an option ...
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4
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2
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How were illegitimate sons raised in Scotland in the late 1800s?
My great grandfather was apparently an illegitimate child, the oldest of the family, and it has been said that back in the day (1877, Scotland) it was common practice for such children to be raised by ...
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2
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What would 'not educated' mean?
In her memoirs, an aunt writes of her nephew having no education. The time is late 1860s, an immigrant lad from England aged 20 when written. He arrived in Australia when 3 years, the son of a station ...
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14
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2
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Who established the Wagga Country Fire Brigade?
I am seeking information on the Country Fire Brigade in New South Wales and in particular the establishment of the Wagga Wagga unit. This relates to my search for information on Thomas (Tot) Linsell (...
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1
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What was the nature of record keeping for land ownership in the Pfalz prior to the introduction of the cadastre/Kataster system?
Some time in the 1840s the French cadastre system of recording land ownership for tax purposes was introduced into the Pfalz region of Bavaria. Records such as the one shown below identified parcels ...
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4
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Old German script. What is the wife's name in this 1837 baptismal ledger from Stark County, Ohio?
The partial image below is from an 1837 baptismal register of a church located in Paris Township, Stark County, Ohio. It is written in old German script. At least to our knowledge, these ledgers have ...
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13
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2
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What does "Effects under" refer to on proving a will?
On proving of a will in 1866 in Ramsbury, England, the executors state 'Effects under thirty five thousand pounds'. Was this a general figure for wills or would this represent a rough net worth?
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What convict records for Australia exist?
Esther Emma Leach, born Sydney 15/5/1824, may have been the daughter of a convict transported to Australia in 1813. How do I find convict records not from the first 3 fleets?
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1
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What constitutes Employment in Labour of a Child in England & Wales?
In 1883, a Requisition for a certified copy of birth for the purposes of the Elementary Education Act, 1876 was made for a youth born in 1872. Given he was 11, would the request have been for ...
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2
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Tracing Elizabeth Watson of Winchelsea, Sussex after 1815?
Elizabeth Watson was born about 1793 at Winchelsea, Sussex, England. She is listed as mother to William Bourne Russell Watson, born 30 June 1815 at Winchelsea, Sussex, England. Family folk lore says ...
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2
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How likely is it that the England & Wales Census would be wrong about an age by ten years?
Or is it just a gap in the records?
My 3xgreat-grandmother, Sarah Rule, is shown in the 1851, 1871 and 1881 Censuses for England and Wales with ages that would indicate a date of birth around 1809–...
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2
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Getting from New York to Chicago in the late 1800s
In an earlier question, GeneJ offered some evidence for how some of his ancestors traveled from Quebec to Wisconsin. I am wondering whether there are any records other than private recollections or ...
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1
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When did Samuel Friedrich Walcker die?
I've been searching for this piece of information for quite a while, but so far, it has been fruitless. I've searched through familysearch.org at least half a dozen times. Here's what I have on him so ...
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3
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Financial preconditions on Jews for marriage in early 19th century in Germany?
In 1822, Abraham Decker, age 24, married Rebecka Aron from Mettenheim, age 27 in Gauersheim, in the the Pfalz region of Germany. Their ages were given in the marriage announcements posted in the ...
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4
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2
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Identifying Blenkinsopp-Leaton family photos
We have family photos. The family name was Blenkinsopp-Leaton. Throughout the 1800's, the family was very wealthy and lived in Northern England. None of the photo's have any names, but are obviously ...
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2
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Quebec City Passenger Lists ... 1865-1900: Devising a scheme to view the first page of a passenger list
I am writing about a Library and Archives Canada collection, "Quebec City Passenger Lists Index 1865-1900." This is a collection of indexed names and digital images said developed from RG 76, the ...
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4
votes
1
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Citing German marriage documents from 1822
I found a bunch of documents related to the marriage of Abraham DECKER and Rebekka ARON on FHL film 488380 labeled "Eheverkündigungen, Heiratsbelege 1816-1826." The documents are statements about and ...
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1
answer
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How to find Indentured Servants in Buffalo, NY or Canada?
I've tried the City Hall on my last trip to Buffalo with no luck. All I know is my great grandmother was given to a family as a young girl. She came to the USA sometime around 1880 to 1884, and I ...
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2
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What does "Do agt for" mean in Georgia Property Tax Digests?
While reviewing the digital image of a record from the Ancestry.com collection, "Georgia, Property Tax Digests, 1793-1893," I found this phrase several times on the page:
"Do agt for" followed by a ...
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6
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Did son-in-law have a different meaning in mid-19th century England?
Most modern dictionaries define family relationships in a narrow sense. So that "son in law" refers to the husband of your daughter. However, I have encountered a very different use in the UK census ...
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3
votes
1
answer
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Locating additional details on "Thomas Tunin" - b.1836, d.1912
I'm trying to locate the birth location and parents of "Thomas Tunin". I have done extensive Google searches but have so far ended up at a deadend on these particular details. Any suggestions on ...
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3
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How to Trace Ancestors to Switzerland
Some of my Zimmerman ancestors emigrated from Switzerland to the United States (Tuscarawas, Ohio) in the mid 1800s. When I find them on U.S. Census records, there are a bunch of other Zimmerman ...
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2
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Is there a single place I could go in Italy to view birth records from Northern Italy from 1750-1850?
Where can I go (physically) in Italy to find records from the 1750-1850, for people who were born in the North of Italy?
I know that each city would have their registries, but I am missing the exact ...
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4
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What does it mean if cause of death is listed as "Insanity" in late 1800s?
My great, great grandmother's cause of death is listed as "Insanity" on her death record, and I'm not sure what this means. She died in Winsted, McLeod County, Minnesota in 1872 at age 37, and had ...
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4
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Locating 18th/19th century grave in Massachusetts?
I am trying to help a friend. He has a Revolutionary War ancestor, Captain Robert Lenthall Eells, buried in the Hanover Center Cemetery in Hanover, Massachusetts (
findagrave, googlemaps).
I grew up ...
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8
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2
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What were the rules about Massachusetts town marriage intentions ca 1811?
They say sex and scandal sells. Maybe an updated question that adds a little of both will spice up and clarify my question.
For years I have recorded Massachusetts marriage intentions in my family ...
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14
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1
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Locating New England telegraph man (Lemuel Keyser Preston) ca1850?
Charles H. Dillion, a 20th-century Texas telegraph man and author, called Lemuel Keyser "L. K." Preston the "pioneer of the telegraph in Texas."1
According to his earlier 1852 marriage record (...
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1
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Searching for registries of persons who were born in Portugal or Brazil 1850-1930? [closed]
Are there good public sites available that have information about Portugal and Brazil ?
They don't need to be in portuguese, I just need information about genealogy and registries of persons who were ...
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22
votes
1
answer
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What does three small rings in a triangle mean in a Swedish parish registers?
In Sweden during the 18th and 19th century each parish had a "Husförhörslängd", a book tallying the people in the parish keeping track of how well they knew their biblical history, and if they had ...
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11
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1
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How did the lives of Worcestershire nail-makers change 1840-1880?
The 1851 Census of England and Wales shows my ancestors living in Forge Lane, Halesowen, Worcestershire. Not only are all the adult males on the page working as gun barrel forgers, but also every ...
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1
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Where was "St. Joseph, F1.T." or possibly "St. Joseph, FI. T." shown on a postmark dated Dec 8, 1837?
My best guess is that "T." stands for "Territory". I'm thinking Missouri or Michigan as likely locations. I also note that Michigan became a state in January 1837. This letter was from an M.L. ...
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Would there be 1830-1850 US naturalization records for children born Canada to parents born in US when relocating back to US?
Michael Preston (1792-1849) was born in New Hampshire; his first wife, Mary Merrill, was born there in 1795. This couple removed to Canada not long after their marriage, ca18 June 1816. Most or all of ...
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1
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Identifying Lemuel K. Preston's 1830s-era birth place of "Broome, L. C."?
In his 1852 Providence, Rhode Island, marriage record,1 Lemuel Keyser "L. K." Preston (ca1828-ca1881) was reported born "Broome, L.C.," the son of Michael and Mary Preston.
I interpret the reference,...
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2
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Finding Kentucky records from 1800 to 1900?
I am researching various families in Kentucky from 1800 through 1900.
All the online resources have census stuff but when looking for more details I hit nothing.
Where online can you find ...
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8
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1
answer
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How can I link (or separate) the Civil War soldier and the photographer?
In 1862, John S Shipman advertised in the Brooklyn Standard Union that his services included "pictures taken of deceased persons" as well as "views made of private dwellings."
How might I gather ...
5
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2
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Locating German or Polish Cavalry military record from late 19th century?
My g-grandfather was supposed to have been in the Cavalry. He was born in 1860, where ?(Germany/Poland). I know at that time Poland was under German rule. Married in Gollub, Germany and my grandmother ...
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6
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2
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How do I locate records about my German speaking immigrants from Alsace, France?
Alsace is a province which switched back and forth between Germany and France as the result of war. My German speaking Martin ancestors left Alsace around 1850 at which time it was governed by France. ...
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5
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2
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How do I learn the details about a British Army pension delivery, 1813?
An Irish ancestor, a veteran of 23 years, was discharged from the British Army in 1813 and pensioned (lame arm) as a Sergeant Major. From British Military records I know he enlisted in Loughgilley, ...
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5
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2
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Hunting for Robert Whyte b. 1846 in Scotland
I am hunting for Robert Whyte, b. 26 Sept 1846 possibly in Methven, Scotland. He wrote he was "from" Methven in his Ontario, Canada wedding license. But maybe he was born elsewhere, possibly Stirling. ...
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6
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4
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Learning great-grandmothers maiden name when courthouse burned down?
My great grandmother, who I know only as Jennie Maria, was born in Michigan in 1846 and married my great Grandfather there in Lenawee county about 1867.
According to what I have found out, the ...
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8
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2
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What is the significance of a "right of dower" in this 1830s era deed (Ohio/New Hampshire, USA)?
Working with 19th-century deeds, I often find the wife has executed the deed in what is described as an act of relinquishing her "right of Dower." (Corrections to the way I have described that ...
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