RESPONSE: Hi, You are right that those death certs are only as good as the knowledge of the death cert informant. As for the marriage records, I guess sometimes it was just easier to make oneself a bit younger for the next marriage. My ancestors were overall a very good-looking bunch from the photos of them I have, most had affairs on the side, multiple marriages was the order of the day for both the men and the women. I mean how many people can say or will admit even as I can that my grandpa's sister, Carolyn "Carrie" TAYLOR ran a house of prostitution in Lexington, KY on Megawan Street (red light district of turn of the last century ). The reason we know so much about what happened is she was shot and killed "in a fit of jealously" per newspaper account by another lady of the night and it was written up all over the Lexington newspapers. Apparently she ran what was called a "high class" house that the newspapers referred to as a "social club". Carrie was born in 1874 in Knox Co. and died in Fayette, Lexington, KY in 1905. She owned her own home, had furs, cash and jewelry and very lovely clothing in which she is pictured and which was divided up by her sister heirs and others. Joyce Taylor Collins La Palma, CA In a message dated 1/4/2008 5:25:00 PM Pacific Standard Time, [email protected] writes: > I just bet a lot of women gave the wrong birthdate on the census too!!! > Barbara >