Bob Melson wrote: >>>> Is there consensus on how to record plural "wives" and their children? >>>> Call them wives, or "partners" or ...? >>> Is there actually a problem here? Some people do marry multiple times >>> during a lifetime. Therefore, most if not all genealogy programs accept >>> multiple spouses. >>> >>> Now, if you are saying that your program won't allow you to enter two >>> spouses with overlapping marriage periods (e.g. marriages without >>> termination by divorce or death), you need a better program. >> I was merely wondering whether it was customary to limit the term "wife" >> to a legally recognized relationship. > Depends on _where_, don't you think? There are still places where multiple > wives are permitted, even encouraged. I suppose my question of you is: > who decides what is/isn't legal? I just want to do what is customary among genealogical researchers -- so that, if at some point I decide to put my findings on line for others to use, I will not be recording relationships in a way that will confuse others. Perce