30 January 2013

Does It Really Mean It Happened?

A marriage license does not mean a couple actually got married. It means they requested permission to get married. A marriage record indicates they get married. A declaration of intention does not indicate a person actually became a citizen. A naturalization record does. Filing a homestead claim does not mean a person actually got the property. A final patent issued for the land does.

Think about exactly what a record means and, more importantly, what it does not mean.

1 comment:

  1. In some instances, the marrying official never made it back to the courthouse to complete the record. The preacher who married my grandparents never got back to the courthouse; he died. The county clerk completed the form after the preacher's death.

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