Family reunion announcements can provide more than lists of names and can help track family members who may not be mentioned in other records. Names may be grouped by family unit or by town where relatives are living. City of residence (if given) can be helpful in tracing individuals who moved frequently. “Non-relatives” may be friends or significant others of family members. A reunion notice may be one place to get a potential clue as to a husband or wife’s name. Relationships are not usually stated and attendees may be related by biology, marriage, or close friendship. Sometimes it is interesting to notice who never attends as well.
This now obsolete “residency status” was used in England, Ireland, Great Britain, United Kingdom, etc. until 1914 when legislation making naturalization easier caused it to fall from use. By default, it was also used in the American Colonies until the American Revolution. Being granted the rights of a denizen allowed an immigrant to have certain limited rights of citizenship without giving that immigrant full citizenship rights. For those in the Americas the right that mattered most was the ability to own land and vote. Denizens could not inherit land or hold political office. Becoming a denizen was easier than becoming a naturalized citizen. Get Genealogy Tip of the Day–the book–today!
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