Reminder for Indexing Marriage Records

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Good post in our Facebook Group


"Reminder for Marriages (specifically PA, but I think this is the same for other states as well - check your specific project instructions) I am seeing LOTS of the below as an indexer (from things I'm getting marked wrong) and as an arbitrator:

If there is a parental consent that is below the application to marry or to the side of an application cover sheet on the same image, this info is to be incorporated into the indexing as one document - this may add:
Ages of bride or groom
Married name for groom's or bride's mother (if maiden and married are on the form anywhere, both are to be indexed as surname: MaidN MarrN) The mother's last name field is for surname, not maiden name only if both are given.
Titles (ie Mr, Mrs, etc)

Also, do not assume father's last name if it's not listed. If only a first name is listed in the father's name field, that is all that should be indexed (or arbitrated). You can add a father's surname if it is on a consent portion of the same image.

Be sure to minimize your screen before beginning to be sure you are seeing all there is to an image. Some images are 2 page open books and I'm returning lots of arb batches where one indexer only did one side of the image.

Finally, look at names over the entire document. There may be names recorded multiple times, once with just a GN & SN, once with a middle initial and once with a middle name or title added. Index (or arb) the most complete version of the name. If there are multiple ways of spelling a SN for an individual, index (or arb) all with an Or between them - but don't do this if an applicant spelled their name differently from the father or mother. Spell the applicant's the way it is and the parent's the way it is. You can't know which is right and they actually may have spelled their names differently."