This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Ritterbusch, Butler Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/jUB.2ACI/711.1.1 Message Board Post: Thank you so much for checking the Long Island directories for me. I originally got the marriage record info at familysearch.org. Then I ordered the microfilm from my local FHC, but was disappointed when the microfilm just had a typewriten transcription of the church marriage record. It only gave the two names, the date and the church, no other info. I have Elizabeth (Butler) Ritterbusch's death certificate from Illinois and it just says she was born in New York (August 09, 1847), no specific place. All the census info I have says she was born in NY too. George Edward Ritterbusch was born in Germany in the 1840's and immigrated to the US in the 1850's. I found a ship passenger record from 1854 (Bremen to New York) that seems like a match, but I cannot be sure since I don't have any other source to tell me who his parents were. I cannot find them in the 1860 Federal Census, which is funny because Ritterbusch is such an uncommon name. Someone just suggested to me offline to try the 1865 NY State Census, which is available on microfilm at my local FHC. I found him in the 1870 census married and living in Illinois. Most of George and Elizabeth's children were born in Illinois or other parts of the midwest. However one child, Josephine, was born in NY in about 1877 (according to 1880 census). So perhaps they were visiting relatives in NY when Josephine was born? I cannot remember when NY started keeping vital records, but I might try to look for Josephine's birth record, of course I don't know where in NY she was born. I don't know why they were married in Southold in 1865. Perhaps Elizabeth's family was from there? Perhaps George was working as a farm hand near there? Was it a rural farming area at that time?