Your Quick Tips

Search by Location
My husband’s grandfather had the same name as a few hundred others (Peter Johnson).  I knew where they lived, and in what year, but could not find him in the index.  I looked through the census for the township in Minnesota, where I knew them to be.  Sure enough there was the whole family (all the siblings) and Peter Gunson as the father.  Had I not known the names of the siblings I would not have recognized Gunson as Johnson.
 
Bee Johnson

Special Section for Underage Marriages
In some counties if the bride or groom were underage, their marriage was recorded in a special section of the Marriage Register.  If you can’t find their names registered, be sure to check with the clerk to see if they have a special section for underage marriages in the register.
 
When I was researching my family the bride was 17, which was “underage.” They were registered in a special section at the back of the Registration Book. 
 
Sandra Jaquet Miller

Heirloom Broom Closet
We were getting my deceased parents’ home ready to sell when we discovered a record of their grandchildren’s heights covering a thirty-year span, on the broom closet door. The door was complete with name and date, in the children’s printing and handwriting.

That broom closet door made a trip from the middle of the United States to Florida a few months ago, when we visited my sister’s new home. We made a small label for it which stated where it came from and that it was hung three and a half inches from the floor. One of my nieces, now with children of her own, saw the door and said, “Grandpa and Grandma’s house was the one permanent house to go to while we were growing up.” Her parents moved a lot because of business.

Now they have a piece of that house to refresh their memories and a record of their heights, to compare with present and future generations.

And, yes, my husband did make a new door for that broom closet.

Carol Brannon

If you have a suggestion you would like to share with other researchers, send it to: mailto:[email protected] . Thanks to all of this week’s contributors!

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3 thoughts on “Your Quick Tips

  1. The article about the closet door from Carol Brannon made me smile. I have a door jamb in my bathroom that has two of my grandsons’ heights and dates and names on it. When we had our bathroom remodeled last year I told the painter that I did not want that door jamb touched. It is really in need of paint but I couldn’t bear to have it painted over (even though my husband has threatened to do it for several years.) So there it is in my beautiful new white bathroom. My grandsons are now 34 and 23. Both of them lived with us most of their lives and the youngest is still here. They always insisted that I measure myself too and in the last couple of years I was surprised to see that I have shrunk a half inch. Oh, well. Life goes on. I now think I will have the jamb removed and saved. What a wonderful idea!!

  2. We use the inside of our bathroom closet to do the measuring. My parents started measuring my brother and I when they moved into the house in 1979. Now there are growth records for their four children and FIVE! grandchildren. (2 of which live with them) My mother always wrote the name date and age next to each line. It’s fun to compare my older brother’s heights at the same ages as my younger brother who is a whopping 18 years younger. When ever my mother threatens she is selling the house we say “but who will take the door!” and that strumps her threat! lol

  3. My name is janilynn and my grandfather’s name is Glenn Brannon and I am trying to find information on him and i was wondering if you would happen to know him if so my website is listed

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