I've forgot...

[neko]

I used to know but cannot remember...
when an individual is mentioned as a kinsman on a record (in this case a 1675 Quaker marriage, though much more common in wills) what is their relationship to the main person in the record? is it nephew? I just can't quite recall.

[ChristineR]

I think it would mean any person related by blood. So could be a father, uncle, nephew, grandfather, cousin, son, etc. I suppose it could also be used for females, if not recorded as a kinswoman.

[neko]

it does in general, but I have a vague memory of it being more specific. at least in the wills-usually a nephew or occasionally grandson or cousin. but it's a bit odd, there's a number of relatives who witnessed this marriage, but only one has kinman written after their name.

[ChristineR]

it does in general, but I have a vague memory of it being more specific. at least in the wills-usually a nephew or occasionally grandson or cousin. but it's a bit odd, there's a number of relatives who witnessed this marriage, but only one has kinman written after their name.

Are you sure that the word kinsman is not a surname of the witness?

[neko]

almost 100%. his given name eludes my memory at the moment, I think it's James or John, nothing fancy. his last name is Seaman, that of the groom, and they are collateral relatives of mine-something like 1st cousin, 7 generations removed. I've not found the surname Kinsman among Quaker records. though some Quakers are known for taking middle names, this generation did not as far as I can find.