The study of family history invariably takes us into the details of family units. While a pedigree chart reflects the line of ascent or descent in the family hierarchy, a family group sheet presents a picture of the structure of a family unit and gives details about the family members. It is important to examine that structure carefully because the birth order of the children can be very revealing.

In "Along Those Lines . . . " this week, let's discuss some of the reasons that the "accident of birth order" can influence family events and can provide clues to genealogical records.

Birth Sequence Matters!
A child's place in the family hierarchy is important for a variety of reasons, not the least of which are the records left behind to assist your research. Some researchers concentrate their investigative efforts on nailing down vital dates for only direct ancestors. But ignoring your ancestors' brothers and sisters can be a costly omission. Birth order is important.

Family structures have changed over the centuries. Couples typically produced more children in earlier times than they do today. Above and beyond the joys of a large family, there were practical matters to consider. The offspring of families with farms or small businesses became members of the family workforce—cheap labor contributing to the family's economic success and security. They also married, producing alliances with other families and perhaps bringing additional resources into the family. And of course, they produced additional families of their own.

As you compile family records, you should focus your attention on the details of all members of the family group. Here are a few reasons why birth order can be important to your research.

Sons
The first-born son often grew up with the expectation that he would work with his father and share the responsibility of providing for the family, and he was often designated as the person who would inherit the farm or business. In most cases, he was groomed to assume this role and given heavy responsibilities to help manage the family affairs. Depending on his age at the time of his father's death, he was usually the person who took over, settled the estate, cared for his mother and other siblings, and performed other functions. The law of the land may also have dictated that he inherit everything; the Latin term "primogeniture" refers to the hereditary right of a first-born son to inherit, especially under the laws of some areas and in some historical periods.

Widows were often considered incapable of providing for their children, and the custody of the children was often awarded to guardians—including older male siblings. An eldest son may have been named guardian or trustee of one or more of his younger siblings. Consider the age of the oldest son at the time of a parent's death against the ages of the other children. Look for probate records related to the parent, including probate court minutes in the absence of a will or probate packet. Examine land and property records for evidence of the transfer of land to the eldest son. And look for guardianship records for any or all of the minor children.

While many fathers provided for their sons, we also have to face the reality that most of our ancestors were of modest means. The second- and third-born sons often lived in the shadow of one or more older brothers. Unless the father was a man of some means, younger sons' right of inheritance was usually diminished either by his family or by law. If he inherited at all, it was usually a bequest of lesser value or of inferior quality than that of his older brother. Also, his prospects of making a living in the area where he grew up may have been lessened if he inherited little or no land.

You may find that younger sons left the area where they were born and raised to find other opportunities. Without the security of land or the prospect of "guaranteed employment," they may have migrated elsewhere. Also, a younger son may have become an apprentice to a tradesman—indentured by his father or as a means of bettering his prospects. In this case, court records may include evidence of these legal contracts and agreements.

Daughters
The older female children were often enlisted to share the household duties. These certainly included caring for younger siblings, sewing, cooking, and performing many essential tasks. However, eldest daughters also tended to receive gifts from and inherit from parents. A father might bestow a dower gift of land at her marriage, and the wills of both the father and the mother often reflect bequests. Sometimes a parent's will specifically names a daughter and/or her husband as an heir and may even designate that a daughter provide a home for and care for younger siblings.

Look for deeds registered in daughters' married names or the names of their husbands. Sometimes, on reading the will, you will find that acreage has been granted by a parent as a gift or as a dowry. Also look in parents' wills or probate court minutes for evidence of the order of birth for daughters. And don't overlook guardianship records in the name of the daughter's husband.

Naming Patterns and Names Recycled
We could have a lengthy discussion on naming patterns among our ancestors. Suffice it to say that studying names of siblings can be helpful in determining birth order. Eldest sons tended to be named after their fathers—or after grandfathers and other family members. Daughters tended to be named after their mothers—sometimes. Or an eldest daughter may have been given one of her mother's names. [These naming pattern tendencies are often relative to culture. Scandinavians, for instance, traditionally named the first son after the paternal grandfather and the first daughter after the maternal grandmother, with subsequent naming patterns for the second daughter and son.] There is some validity in studying naming patterns, but don't place too much emphasis on it. There are too many exceptions, one being the recycling of names.

Tragically, the mortality rate among our ancestors' children was high due to disease and accidents. The death of a first son who was named after his father was certainly devastating, but the desire to leave a namesake could also be high. I have run across numerous instances in my family lines of the reuse of a given name, and on visiting cemeteries, I have been confounded by vast differences in tombstone dates and vital dates I had verified with other sources. On further examination, I found evidence that there had been TWO children with the same name. Be careful to look for this possibility when you encounter such discrepancies.

Puzzling Out Birth Order
One of the biggest challenges arises when a male ancestor is married multiple times and fathers children by each wife. In those cases, establishing birth order can be extremely important. You want to make sure you match the children with the right mother.

Sometimes you will may be unable to locate evidence of birth dates, but clues derived from studying patterns that point to birth order—such as which son inherited the land and which daughter inherited mother's bed or silver spoons—may provide the pointers you need to focus research on specific records.

Do your best to try to determine the birth order for each child in the family. Knowing where your ancestor fell in the hierarchy may help you understand more about him or her. Perhaps your great-grandparents had ten children, and your grandmother was the oldest child. If her mother died when she fourteen, there's a good chance that she became "mother" to the other children. And that might explain a lot about your grandmother's household management skills and her take-charge abilities within your own family.

Spend some time puzzling out the birth order of the children in each family group, and you may learn more about your ancestors and find pointers to other records at the same time.

Happy Hunting!

George

George G. Morgan is a proud member of the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors, Inc. (ISFHWE). He would like to hear from you at atl@ahaseminars.com, but due to the volume of e-mail received, he is unable to answer every e-mail message received. Please note that he cannot assist you with your individual research. Visit George's Web site for information about speaking engagements. George is also the author of The Genealogy Forum on America Online, which is available in the Ancestry Online Store.

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