Series: Locating Parents Subject: Using the Deed Records Date: June 15, 1999 Prior to the 19th century, when a daughter got married, oftentimes she had a dowry. It was traditional for the father to either cover a loan or accept a Note from his son-in-law, who was assuming legal control of the dowry. Remember that women did not have rights after they married - everything which they owned became the property and responsibility of their husband. For example, if a father gave some land to his daughter, when she married, it went to her husband, and was frequently merged with other farms, plantations, etc. which he owned. If you know the husband's name, but not the father's name, find out to whom he was making a mortgage payment. That should tell you the wife's maiden name (her father). Another thing to do is to notice that most deeds contain the signatures of anywhere from two to four witnesses (in the left-hand corner). The first witness is always from the husband's side. The second witness is almost always from the wife's side. That is to protect her one-third dower right under the law. Thus, clues to maiden names are sometimes found in witnesses to old deeds.