Thought you Rooters might be interested in this info that was sent to me several months ago....possible someone on this list? It does need repeating from time to time. In the lower left-hand corner of most deeds, you will find signatures of two to four witnesses. The first one is (most always,but not written in stone) from the husband's side. The next one always from the wife's side. This is to protect her 1/3 dower right under the law. Nothing you will ever use will give greater clues to maiden names than witnesses to old deeds! Also in the 1800's and before, it was traditional when the daughter got married, as part of her dowry, the father either covered the loan or carried the note for his son-in-law. If you know the husband's name but not the wife's maiden name and you can find out to whom they were making their mortgage payments, about 70% of the time it was her father. Also a posting on "Relict" and "Consort": "The term "Relict" on a tombstone means that the woman was a widow at time of death, "consort" means that her husband survived her."