Researching That Female Ancestor!

 

All were not boring!

Were they housewives and mothers, were they teachers or schoolmarms, were they wet nurses or midwives, were they the maids, the slaves, the cooks? Did they attend suffrage movements or civil rights movements? Were they abolitionists, prohibitionists, or fighting for unwed mothers?  

What were their secrets? Listen in on The Mystery of Cornelia Gray. A woman who could be framed in generations of folklore was an enigma. 

Or were they like my Aunt Bertha!

Her unconventional actions as a wife and mother were all in the paper. Could this possibly be the 2g-Aunt that I knew? She was stern, wise and a pillar of the society in her 90's. Glad, I didn't paint that as her life-story, because clearly she was not afraid to buck the system. Perhaps her goal was to change the "role of the woman"  narrative. Either way, the family folklore of her being a wonderful family matron and widow was easily debunked. It was in broad daylight and not in secrecy. Go Aunt Bird! (Yep that was her nickname). 

 The Pratt Union, Pratt, Kansas 30 Apr 1914 

Our female ancestors influenced change. When I felt disempowered at work or at home, my mother would proclaim “the woman is the neck, that turned the head.” 

The Missouri Republican, St. Louis, MO,25 Aug 1873, Page 1

When looking for women ancestors, though, it can be challenging. The majority changed their names, and their identity through marriage. But remember all did not! Was your female ancestor one of the married stage performers who proudly held their maiden name? 

Let us share tips for researching your female ancestors

1.  Women Organizations. 

 The National Association of Colored Women’s Club, Inc.
founded Washington, D.C. in July 1896

 These groups may have been for ethnic socializing, divided by class, or designed to promote “worldliness” like an education curriculum for women on par with men. They were for women to vent, mingle, chart out their children’s social circle, and to influence politics often through their husbands.

2.  Local community and political activities.

The Missouri Republican, St. Louis, MO,25 Aug 1873, Page 1

Be sure to plot out your female ancestor’s timeframe using community and political issues. It’s overwhelming how many women groups met in “secret” to fight for their agenda. These groups may have been an ethnic groups, divided by class, promoting “worldliness” like an education curriculum for women on par with men.

 3. Women School Records.

The Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Mississippi) 7 Jul 1870, pg.1

Men didn’t seem to bulk at women reading the Bible and taking darning and sewing classes.  But often the line was drawn at philosophical, maths, and “brainy knowledge.” Although 1800 education was seen as a way of making women better wives and mothers, there were progressives that moved the educational rod to encourage education for women to be transformative. I’m a proud alumna of Stephens College, 1333, Columbia MO, a women’s college. By the way, they have an amazing archive filled with history. During WWII, they housed and educated orphan teenagers from across the nation - children of war veterans. 

4. Church Minutes / Records. 

Have you read these gossip-filled accounts of the congregants?  Oh my…we have found records from Quakers, the women, who held important positions in conducting the Underground Railroad, to the public shaming of those in infidelity in the German churches of Missouri. Contrary to common belief, these records are not just filled with sacraments dates.   

5.  Immigrant Societies. 

Women were activists.  They helped with the immigrant societies. This was not just in port cities, but inland also. They were active in the Volga – Germans, Irish, German, Italian, etc. communities.  Again, scour the society books for familiar names. Review newspaper articles on the local immigrant societies. Discover which roles the women played. They were like matchmakers of old.  They connected wives and children to housing. They were thanked for holiday meals and performances. They fought for the poor and admonished “the wicked!”

6.  Delayed birth records of the community. 

         

At a brick wall? Try reviewing early birth records, especially delayed birth records of the community. We have uncovered over a half dozen female ancestors for clients as they were midwives.  Yes, you have to conduct the research, but if Louise was her name, be sure to uncover "Louise" named midwives on birth and delayed birth records. Delayed birth records come with affidavits that may assist in identifying your “Louise.”  

Other Readings:
Genealogists Can Reconstruct the Lives of Female Ancestors
The Daily Herald, Mar 26, 1998 , pg 39

Fewer Records Available for Women Ancestors
Victoria Advocate, Apr 06, 2003 ·Page 396 Tips to Researching Female Ancestor

Be Historically Correct

Kathleen Brandt

a3genealogy.com

Accurate Accessible Answers

a3genealogy@gmail.com 

Revised posts: 28 Mar 2022

6 Tips to Researching Female Ancestors