This has been posted to several different mailing list and I thought
that the information was worth posting online.


Tips on finding maiden names from the 1992 Jackson County (MI)
Genealogical Society:

Nothing will give greater clues to maiden names than the
witnesses to old wills.

In the lower left hand corner of most deeds, you will
find signatures of two to four witnesses.

The first is always from the husbands side.
The next is almost always from the wifes side and that
is to protect her one-third dower right under law.

Mortgages:  In the 1800s and before, it was traditional when the
daughter married, as part of her dowry, for the father to either
cover their mortgage or carry a note for his son-in-law. 

If you can find to whom their mortgage payments were made,
70% of the time it will be the brides father.