What should I do when the names do not match on the brides, grooms and parents on a marriage record?

CaskJanell1

I have been Indexing marriage records in Virginia and half the way down the document the names of the parents do not match up with the groom and bride. I thought they has skipped a line but then I realized they not only left off a Grooms parents but they listed the brides parents with the wrong groom parents. To the end of the document of 40 entrees they are mixed up. If I try to fix it, then the person doing a review will not understand what I have done because it does not match what was written on the page. We always type what we see, but in this case they have been copied incorrectly.

Example: Groom Robert N. Gains and Bride Annie Goens is matched with Parents Matt Harris and Morgan and Rachel Goens. It is a match for the bride but not the groom. The next line the groom is Matt Harris and bride Anna Madison. The parents names do not match.

Susan Ann Mullen

We have received an answer for your question.

"In looking at the image, it appears the clerk skipped the names of the groom's parents for entry #34. I think this is a judgment call where one should mark the Groom's Father's fields <blank> Then, indexing the correct Groom's father's information, based on the matching surnames or the order of the entry. It will be difficult because the bride's parents line up perfectly. The surnames for the groom will not always match the father's surname because his mother may have remarried and a stepfather's name is recorded.

If they index it that way, they will have an "extra" father's name at the bottom of the register, which should just be skipped.

Taking the time to index the correct parents with the groom will really help a researcher because only the index will be available. If the researcher cannot see the images, they won't be able to see the error made by the clerk. "

A chart was included that may be helpful to you.

Susan Ann Mullen

This question has been referred for an answer. We are waiting for a response while CaskJanell holds the batch.

CaskJanell1

I did not get an answer of what I should do with this batch. I waited for an answer and I could not stand to leave it or turn it back in. I prayed and felt prompted to match up the grooms and brides names the best I could. I realized there was a pattern where the groom had the correct parents names but the brides was off a line. I was able to match up most of the names. For the reviewer I typed a brief explaniation in a space at the top of the record.

Susan Ann Mullen

You did the right thing by matching up the names correctly. I will change the setting so you can see the answer without checking your messages.