Wednesday, December 18, 2013

State Borders Matter

Vermont Marriage Records, Ancestry.com.
Charles T. Evans and his wife Mattie

Apparently, while I was busy in the graveyard this summer, Ancestry.com posted some records from Vermont. This is a "groom" card. Notice that the bride is Mrs. Mattie Evans and her parents are named. Her maiden name was Davis. I am still trying to find out who Mr. Allen was and if he died or if they divorced.
Source Information:
Ancestry.com. Vermont, Vital Records, 1720-1908 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.

Original data: State of Vermont. Vermont Vital Records through 1870. New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts.
State of Vermont. Vermont Vital Records, 1871–1908. New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Massachusetts.

Martha, called "Mattie" was the woman who my 2nd great grandfather, Charles Turner Evans married after his first wife died. 


"Grandmother Evans", photo from family collection of Midge Frazel

This single marriage record reveals what I could not find out about her because I was looking in the WRONG state. 

It becomes apparent to me that I should blog about this because I did not closely examine the map of the area of Massachusetts long enough to understand why this couple from Massachusetts got married in another state. 

The town of Williamstown, MA (called West Hoosac) was the key to the puzzle.

The area of Williamstown, Adams and North Adams, Massachusetts borders on BOTH Vermont and New York. Google Map

Charles Turner Evans was a publisher. Every record agrees. That is always a relief. After the holidays, I will blog about how finding three records in the 1870 census helped me figure out what happened to baby Ada. 

1 comment:

CarmenMJ said...

Midge - I had a similar experience with my grandmother's marriage record. My mother was sure they got married in Portland, OR but after going to the state archives and nothing was available, I decided to check Washington since Vancouver, WA is very close to Portland, Or. Sure enough - I found the record. It turns out that they waiting period is shorter in WA than OR and since my grandparents got married on her Christmas vacation (she was a teacher) far from home so the school board wouldn't know she was married...it was significant. Is there a difference in a waiting period with MA and VT...just curious?