# Need anything looked up on Ancestry.com? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 5, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210 "2012-06-05T22:28:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tracyfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f14d63/32.png) [@Tracyfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracyfish)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/21 "2012-06-09T04:07:02Z")
How are the searches on marriage records? I’m assuming it’d be pretty much impossible to find a marriage or divorce record from the early 1940’s just based on the bride’s name, date of birth, and possible location. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/22 "2012-06-09T04:08:29Z")
Very nice of you. I already know you and I are related, though. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/23 "2012-06-09T04:23:35Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Looks good. Now if you can attach some dates/places to the names, we could be in business. 😕 There’s nothing else in the letter. The only solid date in it for a birth was Owen’s father (name unknown, as Unc. Owen probably assumed my Dad knew who Owen’s father was, since it was Dad’s grandfather), born in 1859 to Thomas Sublet Sutton and Nancy Jane Taylor, in St. Francois County (from googling “Iron Mountain, MO”), Missouri. I would start there to get a “reference point” and try working backwards or forwards to nail down more info. Or not. It would be nice to know, but I’ve not had good experiences with these genealogy websites, so I’m not springing for the info, and since you offered… …but if there’s not enough info to go on, don’t sweat it. ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/24 "2012-06-09T04:30:12Z")
I’ve been doing some research, but I don’t have (and can’t afford right now) the upgraded enrollment. Would you be willing to check some of the European databases for me? It’s so frustrating to get that little leaf and be unable to follow it! (And I promise it won’t be my Irish grandfather. Even though I’m sure he was probably the only Patrick White to emigrate in the 1840s! :D) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/25 "2012-06-09T14:41:35Z")
> [@Tracyfish](#): > > How are the searches on marriage records? I’m assuming it’d be pretty much impossible to find a marriage or divorce record from the early 1940’s just based on the bride’s name, date of birth, and possible location. Depends on the state, but many have extensive marriage/divorce records online. Send it on and I’ll check it out. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/26 "2012-06-09T14:42:42Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > 😕 There’s nothing else in the letter. The only solid date in it for a birth was Owen’s father (name unknown, as Unc. Owen probably assumed my Dad knew who Owen’s father was, since it was Dad’s grandfather), born in 1859 to Thomas Sublet Sutton and Nancy Jane Taylor, in St. Francois County (from googling “Iron Mountain, MO”), Missouri. > > I would start there to get a “reference point” and try working backwards or forwards to nail down more info. > > Or not. It would be nice to know, but I’ve not had good experiences with these genealogy websites, so I’m not springing for the info, and since you offered… > > …but if there’s not enough info to go on, don’t sweat it. I took a brief look without success, which is why I was hoping for some dates. I’ll take another look. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/27 "2012-06-09T14:44:12Z")
> [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > I’ve been doing some research, but I don’t have (and can’t afford right now) the upgraded enrollment. Would you be willing to check some of the European databases for me? It’s so frustrating to get that little leaf and be unable to follow it! (And I promise it won’t be my Irish grandfather. Even though I’m sure he was probably the only Patrick White to emigrate in the 1840s! :D) As long as it’s from Great Britain, there may be some references online. Ancestry doesn’t deal in non-English documents, as far as I know. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/28 "2012-06-09T20:32:35Z")
I have always wondered where my maternal grandfather’s people came from. Were they English? When did they come over? It’s not something we’ve ever been able to know in my family because he died in 1948 when my mother was ten. My grandmother never remarried and never even really talked about him. I’d love to know those two things if that’s possible? If not, no biggie. I’ll PM you. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/29 "2012-06-09T21:21:17Z")
Hey, all: more responses than I thought would come. I’ll answer all of these, but it may take me a bit. Trying to do too much at once tends for confusion on my end. Keep in mind that in-depth searching is probably not going to happen, but I get lucky sometimes and then get caught up in the story. If I don’t find anything solid within a half hour, it’s likely just not out there (yet), or I’m missing a vital piece of information that’s not available. Glad to see so many are interested in family, though. A big request: If you could please put the family name you’re searching for in the PM title, it would be a HUGE help. Even multiple names, i.e., Gray, Smith, Jones, Galvin Family. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/30 "2012-06-09T22:22:50Z")
Hey, take your time with mine, **Chefguy**. I’m in no rush and your offer is generous. No worries. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/31 "2012-06-09T22:28:01Z")
I’ve offered to assist **Chefguy** as needed. I do not have international access, but can locate some international stuff through FamilySearch. I figured since I cannot read _any_ of the languages of my forefathers/mothers, why spend the money. If anyone wants to PM me, go for it. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/32 "2012-06-09T22:50:24Z")
> [@MissTake](#): > > I’ve offered to assist **Chefguy** as needed. I do not have international access, but can locate some international stuff through FamilySearch. I figured since I cannot read _any_ of the languages of my forefathers/mothers, why spend the money. > > If anyone wants to PM me, go for it. If you’ve already sent me a request, please don’t duplicate it with **MissTake**. If I can’t find what you are looking for, then by all means, however. The international stuff basically means you can see records from other English-speaking countries. In other words, the British Isles and Canada. Not sure it was worth the extra cost, but I haven’t plumbed it much yet. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2012, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/33 "2012-06-10T01:58:22Z")
Hmm…can [ancestry.com](http://ancestry.com) track someone down if that person is a relative of yours, but was given up for adoption at birth? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/34 "2012-06-11T00:51:09Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > Hmm…can [ancestry.com](http://ancestry.com) track someone down if that person is a relative of yours, but was given up for adoption at birth? I’m not sure what you’re asking here. Can you be more specific? Adoption records are not available online, as they are kept confidential by adoption agencies. The only way you could track somebody down is if you know the first/last name (at minimum), plus DOB, or other ID parameters. Even if you think a name is unique, I can almost guarantee that it is not. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/35 "2012-06-12T17:21:10Z")
Another bump on this. If I dropped the ball on responding to anybody, please give me another nudge on it. There were more requests than I expected, so I got a bit wrapped around the axle with it. Apologies for any missed questions. Also, if anybody else wants something looked into, let me know. ---
**Author:** ![Orionizer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orionizer/32/4442_2.png) [@Orionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orionizer)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/36 "2012-06-12T17:51:34Z")
Just PM’d you some info, Chefguy. Thanks for doing this! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/37 "2012-06-27T01:05:25Z")
Bumpity. Hope I’m not violating any rules by doing so. I think everyone who contacted me has been answered to the extent I was able. If not, give me a shout. Anybody else need an assist? ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/38 "2012-06-27T01:10:54Z")
I haven’t heard anything, **Chefguy.** I assume that’s cuz there was nothing to be found? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/39 "2012-06-27T01:49:29Z")
> [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](#): > > I haven’t heard anything, **Chefguy.** I assume that’s cuz there was nothing to be found? Uh-oh. Can you re-send the information? I’m obsessive about deleting emails. Very sorry for the dropped ball. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210/40 "2012-06-27T02:04:40Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I signed up for a one year subscription to the premium service (which includes worldwide databases) and have a lot of time on my hands. PM me if you have any requests, although I’m not even going to try the 1940 census until they get it indexed. Keep in mind that the more information you provide, the more likely there will be results. Funny - I just was thinking about doing a trial membership there. The “free document” they let me look up showed a census record for a few months after my father was born - with the wrong name for him. Think “othername firstinitial” instead of “firstname middleinitial”. And his sister’s middle initial was wrong. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-anything-looked-up-on-ancestry-com/624210.md?page=3)