This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.wisconsin.counties.adams/1552.2.1.1.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: My original assumption that Joyal was Hannah's married name was based on the fact that she had a child when she married J.W. Schoff and she is referred to as Mrs. Hannah Joyal in his obituary published in the Adams County Press of 5 September 1891. I just ran across a convincing piece of evidence that Hiram is indeed her father as you suggest. The Vital Records of Dana Massachusetts have an entry for Hannah D. Joyle, born 25 Oct 1843 of parents Hiram Joyle and Clarinda. That seems to nail down her parentage. It also now seems likely that Hannah gave birth to Hiram D. out of wedlock or was married to a man that she wanted to forget so chose not to use his name. We will probably never know what really happened. At this point I have not found any reference to any other marriage or the birth of Hiram D. There is a Hannah Joyle listed in 1860 New Hampshire census (Nashua, Hillsborough County - factory worker living in a boarding house) but there is nothing definitive to connect her to our Hannah although I feel fairly certain that it is her. The age on the census form and her date of birth fit as does the fact the Hiram D. was born in New Hampshire so we know that she lived there for a time. Nashua is only 8 miles from Litchfield where Hiram was living in 1860. Researching Hiram D. has been unproductive so far except for census listings all of which reflect a different place of birth for his parents.