In my romp through the Probate Court records I finally
searched  the computer index of Marriage Records. There is a
file cabinet with mircofilm of the certificates and other
associated documents. I was so busy copying index info that
I have yet to make it to the microfilm! The marriage records
begin in the mid to late 1800s. And again, there is the
great mystery of creative spelling in action!

I will admit that use of the computer index is complicated
by the use of "F" keys (located at the top of keyboard), but
not impossible to learn. Old cats can learn new tricks! They
just get distracted and forget what they're doing after a
while!

I could try to explain the use of the keys, but why bore you
to tears? The main thought here is to search both GROOMS and
BRIDES under a surname... and hit the right keys. I was
fortunate to find a few relatives that had previous unknown
marriages.

The funny thing for me is that I could not find my own
parent's marriage records... me illegitmate! Well, it won't
be the first time that thought has crossed a person's mind!
All these years, I thought Mom & Dad were married in St
Matthew's Church... come to find out they ran away and were
married in St Matthews, SC!

I found cousin surnames, which help to align the various
families under one surname.

When I first began my genealogical search I zoomed past the
sibling info unless readily at hand in my search for direct
lines. I was fortunate to find info on many lines that took
me back several decades, even hundreds of years on some
lines. Then I began to work forward and try to peice
together those names that were found but not yet connected.

Well, I'm off to rifle through Marriage Certificates, and
more Probate Records.

Again I will offer to do searches for those that had family
in Charleston Cnty in the late 1800s. I ask $5 for travel
exp.  (and $5/hr for those who have a list of names that
will may take HOURS to find). And of course the cost of
copies (.50 cents ea.) plus mailing, unless scanned image is
all that is desired, or if only the dates and info are
requested without copies.

After all this I will have to figure out where the people
who lived in Charleston went to be married that weren't
married here. Wonder where the great Honeymoon spots were
during that time ~ St Matthew ???

Grinning & Searching,
Janet Nielson Jilote

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