Records and Research: Edith Elizabeth Eckard (No. 1)

This series will begin with a randomly selected document that contains genealogical information. I will then take that information and outline what we can learn from the document and what I would do next to find more information on the person involved.


Document No. 1: U.S. Passport Application for Edith Elizabeth Eckard, stamped 28 Feb 1923
Link: Link (From U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925, via Ancestry.com)

Name: Edith Elizabeth Eckhard

Born: 10 Aug 1888 Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England

Lived in England: Birth to 19 Nov 1904

Married to: Christian Eckhard on 14 May 1913, Husband born in St. Louis, Missouri and resided at 2741 Dakota Street.

Child Traveling with Her: Elizabeth Eckhard, age 8 in 1923

Other Important Facts from this Document:

• Her reason for returning to England was to visit relatives but didn't specify who.
• She planned on leaving aboard a White Star Line ship from Montreal, Canada on 2 Jun 1923 
• Her physical description: 35 years old, 5 feet tall, brown eyes, auburn hair, fair complexion. 
• Witness to her Identity: Richard D. Elliot has known her for 6 years as of 1923. (Note: Always take note of who is witnessing documents for your ancestors. There is a good chance they are related or close associates.) 

Next Steps: Since she married after her immigration, the next step needs to be a search for her marriage license so that we can find her maiden name and immigration information. With that information, we can find her birth and death records and proceed filling in the the time in between.