> > (1) What kind of information do you get from looking up a marriage? (My > grandaunt Lizzie Grant GOFF married William HANSEN in 1883, and I saw the Gazette announcement. I already know Lizzie's dates. Would I get any > additional info about parents etc by asking you to look up the marriage > record? For example, info about her mother Minnie North Star GOFF?) Depends on the year of the marriage. We are still trying to get just what years say what. The 1880's seem to include witnesses to the marriage and where the party lived. > > (2) How much searching do we have to do in other counties, since Mariposa was divided up? What records do you have and what do they have? (For example, > Lizzie GOFF was born 12Aug1866 in Mariposa but died Lizzie HANSEN 20Sept1941 in Merced. Do I need to contact Merced volunteers for DC lookup? Would I get any additional info by doing so?) And regarding Merced, there are tons of records in The Old Courthouse Museum. Wonderful place they have there! Mostly I would say, if it happened in Mariposa, Mariposa has the record, regardless of the year. The death certs can be a wonderful source for info, IF the person supplying the info actually KNEW the info. If they died in Mariposa and were buried in Merced, Mariposa still has the death cert. Regarding Merced.. they have some of the very best employees at the Merced Cemeteries! Really! I have been down there a few times and they have walked me out to graves, done computer searches to see if any others of the same name are buried there. Really outstanding helpers. If you have not done so already, contact the cemetery. They will tell you who and where and sometimes you can make a connection because "families married into" provide great leads. Mel