Hi Mike, You might consider checking the indices with the assumption that an indexing error was made -- with a name like your "Smith McFall Bowman", I'd sure check out the SMITH grooms & maybe even McFALL/FALL. A couple of my folks have been indexed by their middle names & I only found them by accident. Course I didn't know the spousal names -- I'm assuming you've searched by both bride and groom? Also, consider how the handwritting could be misread. Capital "B" sometimes resembles an "R", although it is less likely in the time period you are talking about. Depending on the writer, lower case "o" can look exactly like an "a" -- capital "C" like a "P" -- "Mc" like the initial "M." -- "S" like "L" & vice versa -- & the list goes on. The following probably won't help with your particular search, as I doubt if it would occur in later records, BUT maybe it will help someone else. I came across this while transcribing records for one county, 1799-1870... A very VERY few times, a surname was recorded as a word with a similar meaning, but totally different spelling. Only one comes to mind at the moment: Duck written as "Drake". These 'anomalies' (I don't consider them spelling variations) ocurred in early marriage records, which makes me wonder if it was a case of the itinerant minister racking his brain to remember "What WAS that fellows name?". One last tip: Most early records have little to do with how your ancestor spelled his name, but rather how the minister, census taker, or courthouse clerk chose to spell it. Think about the way the name would *sound*, including the regional accent, & then try to think of different ways to spell it (if they are your immigrant ancestor, how would their name sound when spoken with a foreign accent?). Once it has been recorded, then there is another hurdle: how could the handwritting be mis-interpreted by the indexer? I sure hope this helps someone!! Valerie From: "Smith, Mike - PHX ACTG" <smithm1@DIALCORP.com> Reply-To: ILSALINE-L@rootsweb.com To: ILSALINE-L@rootsweb.com Subject: RE: [ILSALINE-L] Re: ILSALINE-D Digest V01 #136 Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 07:48:26 -0700 Surnames: BOWMAN, WIER, MCFALL, BASKINS Did people often go to IN to get married? I have searched for the marriage of my great-grandparents, Smith McFall BOWMAN, son of Jacob Smith BOWMAN and America Elizabeth MCFALL and Mary Juliza Elizabeth WIER, daughter of Joseph Marion WIER and Elizabeth M. BASKINS, circa 1908-09 in Franklin, Saline, and Williamson County without success. These families lived in or near Thompsonville, Cave Township, Franklin County. Any help appreciated. Mike Smith - Scottsdale, AZ _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com