Margaret Agnes Ruan McLaughlin, my 2xggma, married Charles McLaughlin, my 2xggpa, on 5 July 1864, while Charles was still in the Union Army. And yet, these two devout Irish-Catholics didn't have their first child until 1872. Recently, I felt compelled to re-examine original documents, including the 1900 Census (which I ADORE). It asks two separate questions: how many children have you had, and how many do you have. This allows the interviewee to account for stillborns, and children born alive but who died in the first few years of life (between censuses, at any rate). It turns out that Margaret and Charles had NINE children, but I had only ever known about the FIVE that survived to adulthood. This one line item in the 1900 US Census is the only evidence I have of their existence!

The moral of the story: always check, and recheck, original documents. Not everything is indexed, and there's always something to learn.

I'm getting research done at the Venango County Historical Society in Pennsylvania to find birth/death certificates. That's most likely where these children were born, and died - in Oil City. Watch this space for updates. #CarolynnNiLochlainn #AncestorsAliveGenealogy #ancestors #research #genealogy #FamilySearch #FamilyHistory #1900Census #FromPaperToPeople

Wanna see something cool? My dad had a few items, including two gold-plated pocket watches. This one was made in 1904, and belonged to Charles McLaughlin (1836-1925), a manager for Pennzoil. Charles fought for the Union from PA. He's my 2xggpa. I believe he's wearing it in this photo of him. #genealogy #OldWatches #FamilyHistory #UnionSoldier #keepsakes #CarolynnNiLochlainn #FromPaperToPeople #Family