When indexing a Virginia marriage record, what info is wanted in the box titled, Owner's given name?
Answers
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A given name is usually the name given at birth - not the family name (surname) e.g. John Smith. If you are in doubt about what is required in an entry, select the box that needs data, and a question mark appears at its top, right corner. Clicking on this will give you instructions specific to that particular field.
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Not all of these documents have owners given. When the primary person is a slave, you'll see the names of owners. If that primary person was a slave, it will be marked in a column (or box) for indicating that, and the owner's name will be in the father's name column on the document in the registers I've seen (the heading for the father's name column will specify that if the person is a slave, it's the owner's name given in that column). You'll only see that if the date of the document is before slavery was abolished. So it's important to read the column or line headings on the document, or any notations saying someone is an owner, and to read the Field Helps, as Barry says. If the person wasn't a slave, thus no owner given, then just Blank the owner's name fields.
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