Who's The Daddy

[sigma]

On a birth certificate for Eliza Jarrett names her mother as Martha Jarrett but no father.
A year later Martha marries Thomas Painter.
On Eliza's marriage certificate she names her father as Thomas Jarrett.
Is it safe to assume that Thomas Painter and Thomas Jarrett are one of the same.

[wolf63]

No - that would not be a safe assumption.

You will need more information before you work out who the dad of Eliza is.

[dzug2]

There's a plausible explanation for them being the same person. There's an equally plausible explanation for them being different.

No safe assumption is possible without some independent evidence

[Rose Maybud]

Marriage Certificates - there was no 'rule' about what should go into the father's name and occupation boxes. Sometimes it was the 'father figure' and not the biological father. And what do you put if the father has already died? Sometimes you find nothing, sometimes the boxes are filled in as if he was alive. My OH's father had already died when we were married, so we put his full name (deceased) and the occupation he had when he was alive. That 'should' be clear for anybody coming along in years to come, but of course doesn't help in the past.

In Eliza's case, was there a baptism? Just occasionally you get the father's name, even if subsequently the two didn't marry.

[Zacs-Master]

Can you find a marriage certificate for Eliza and Thomas Jarrett?

[DJHawkes]

Thomas Jarett may have been Martha's father and he may have brought Eliza up as his own daughter to save the stigma of the illegitimate birth, have you found eliza on the census with her mother and step-father or living with her maternal grandparents? (depending on what era we are talking about) if it is 1920s or 30s i'd suggest that thomas jarrett is her grandfather and brought her up

[jourdain2]

Marriage certs. are tricky. Mr J2 did not wish his father's name entered on ours because (although he and OH's mum were married at the time) his dad left them when OH was 3 mths. old.