Divorce is not just a 20th century phenomenon. At first, granted by the State Legislature and then by the courts, these are public records. The case files can include marriage date and place, names and ages of children, current and former residences, and affidavits by the spouses about their marriage and reason for divorce. Clues are in the census, city directories, military pensions, county histories, county courthouses, and especially in newspapers. This could be the reason for a “lost spouse.”
About Our Speaker
Christine Cohen is a long-time member of the Whittier Area Genealogical Society (WAGS) and is currently the Program Director. In addition to WAGS, she is also a member of the El Redondo Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (Past 1st Vice Regent), the Society of Daughters of Holland Dames, and the Association of Professional Genealogists.
Her interest in genealogy began in 1977 with the airing of the TV mini-series “Roots”. Her enthusiasm was piqued when I was given a typed pedigree chart, commissioned by her maternal grandfather, of their Dutch heritage from the New Netherlands in the 1650s. She is a native Californian, a graduate of UCLA in Political Science, and has recently retired to pursue my genealogy interest full time.
This program is not sponsored or endorsed by L.A. County Library.