GenMassachusetts-L Archives

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Subject: [GM-L] Vital Records
Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2003 12:18:50 EST

The Vital Records often include the Intentions listed in the towns of the
both the bride and groom and also the actual marriage date. This is a
notification process carried out through the churches. Often the Vital Records are church
records on the case of the published records. Also the early dates of the
inhabitants are from grave records or church records and family records. The MA
records project gathered as much info from as many sources as it could when
they were published. Also sometimes a family would come in and list all the
family at one time when they moved to a new location. Often this is the only
recording of the data.
also some knowledge of the times helps to explain why people recorded data
at all. With the Churches the main governing bodies it was important that
church members were recorded and any transfers between churches were noted. Some of
this revolved around the welfare system or lack thereof. You will find lists
of "Warnings Out" which were a way a local jurisdiction got rid of indigent or
undesirable people. Assume your husband died. The surviving wife needed to
remarry quickly or if from another town may be asked to go back to where she
came from so the locals didn't carry the responsibility of caring for her or her
family. There are cases in VT in which one Town who had a welfare system
billed other Towns for charges of caring for those people who came into Town and
were cared for by it.
Probably not the best explanation but hope the idea comes across.

Steve

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