Confusing Parentage

[M Stewart]

I have a sensitive issue that I want to properly document, but as a new Reunion user, I'm uncertain as to how.

Husband and wife are married and children are born of this union. Carry husbands last name. Separation occurs, but still married: many children are born to the wife only.

Children's biological fathers are unknown, they all carry the separated husband's last name and are raised as his own, though not biologically related to or adoptions made.

After lengthy separation, divorce from husband, then remarriage to him some years later.

I currently have biological children, linked to husband and wife. All children born to wife only, linked to her only with the father's name as blank.

So, being sensitive to all parties involved, what should I do? Should notes be included, should they be linked differently?

[AE Palmer]

Re: Confusing Parentage

I have a sensitive issue that I want to properly document, but as a new Reunion user, I'm uncertain as to how.

Husband and wife are married and children are born of this union. Carry husbands last name. Separation occurs, but still married: many children are born to the wife only.

Children's biological fathers are unknown, they all carry the separated husband's last name and are raised as his own, though not biologically related to or adoptions made.

After lengthy separation, divorce from husband, then remarriage to him some years later.

I currently have biological children, linked to husband and wife. All children born to wife only, linked to her only with the father's name as blank.

So, being sensitive to all parties involved, what should I do? Should notes be included, should they be linked differently?

The basic questions presented as I see it:

[John Hill]

Re: Confusing Parentage

I have a sensitive issue that I want to properly document, but as a new Reunion user, I'm uncertain as to how.

Husband and wife are married and children are born of this union. Carry husbands last name. Separation occurs, but still married: many children are born to the wife only.

Children's biological fathers are unknown, they all carry the separated husband's last name and are raised as his own, though not biologically related to or adoptions made.

After lengthy separation, divorce from husband, then remarriage to him some years later.

I currently have biological children, linked to husband and wife. All children born to wife only, linked to her only with the father's name as blank.

So, being sensitive to all parties involved, what should I do? Should notes be included, should they be linked differently?

I agree with Arnold; I would have entered the data in just the way you have/he suggests. And by all means leave copious notes to explain what is going on!

I have never had an exact match to your situation, but I do have frequent examples of children born illegitimately to a woman who subsequently married and the children were "taken on" by the husband. Sometimes they are listed in censuses under their birth last names, sometimes under the family name; sometimes they married or were buried under the birth name, sometimes the family name. What can be particularly confusing is that in one or two cases there is evidence that the children's biological father is the subsequent husband!

About the only thing you can do is to try and represent the situation as closely as possible to the ascertainable facts.

Were there any children from the subsequent remarriage? If so, that would be the place to list them.

[Jan Powell]

Re: Confusing Parentage

I have a sensitive issue that I want to properly document, but as a new Reunion user, I'm uncertain as to how.

Husband and wife are married and children are born of this union. Carry husbands last name. Separation occurs, but still married: many children are born to the wife only.

Children's biological fathers are unknown, they all carry the separated husband's last name and are raised as his own, though not biologically related to or adoptions made.

After lengthy separation, divorce from husband, then remarriage to him some years later.

I currently have biological children, linked to husband and wife. All children born to wife only, linked to her only with the father's name as blank.

So, being sensitive to all parties involved, what should I do? Should notes be included, should they be linked differently?

I would do as you have, as the others have said in their replies. Additionally I would duplicate the children of the unknown fathers to the husband and wife card.

If you have no intention of publishing the data, say, online, the sensitivity is not relevant, but if you should choose to share the info at some point, then sensitivity markers will help.

Make sure you make plentiful notes about the situation on everyone in the people concerned's cards.