Thanks to an exchange of messages with another genealogy researcher, I was reminded that even when relationships are unofficial, they can be super-important to our ancestors.
In this case, the researcher was interested in one of hubby's ancestors (Lynn), who had a foster daughter (no full names, for privacy reasons).
Lynn's obit mentioned the foster daughter, indicating a close emotional link. In fact, when the foster daughter's husband died, his obit named Lynn as grandmother of his child.
So far as we know, there was no official government documentation of this foster relationship. They were relatives by heart, not by paperwork.
To honor this special bond, the researcher is connecting all of these folks on his family tree, with an explanation.
Sources? He cites the obits as his sources.
A lovely tribute.
This is a lovely tribute and I love your supporting image.
ReplyDeleteI love that line, Marian "They were relatives by heart, not by paperwork " that pertains or can be applied to many relationships. As a child I had Aunts/Uncles that were not family but so much "family" more involved than others.
ReplyDeleteI have a 1905 New York Will that names the daughter in the census as a foster daughter but I can’t find the foster daughters birth or death record. I can track her children but nothing about her.
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