Discovering Ancestors in Names of Cousins

When researching family lines, it is vital that you research siblings of your direct ancestors, as well as their children and grandchildren, because they will yield additional information on your shared ancestors.  Also, when possible, obtain certificates of births, marriages, and deaths, even if you *think* that the record would contain nothing new.  The record would at least confirm other evidence and may provide new clues.

John Duryea (1861-1919) was a first cousin of my great great grandfather, Abraham Brewer Duryea (1878-1944).  Abraham's middle name, Brewer, is from the family of his maternal grandmother, Rene Brewer (1824-1904).

John and Abraham's grandfather was Garrett Duryea (1777-1834).  I am seeking documentation that Garrett's first wife was Charity Horton.  John and Abraham descend from Garrett's second wife, Ann Cornell (1784-1871).

On my most recent trip to the New Jersey State Archives in Trenton, I copied John Duryea's marriage certificate to Katherine Dwyer (1858-1929).  They were married in Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey on February 11, 1889.  To my surprise and delight, John's middle name was included on the certificate.  HORTON.  I wonder if the family knew of the origin of this name when John was named, as he is the grandson of Ann Cornell, not Charity Horton.

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What is in a Name?

Someone asked about the first name of my great grandmother, Laura Winterton (1891-1962).  She died before I was born; I was told that she went by the name "Laura."  As I found her records, I saw that she also used the name "Laurel" and "Ethel."  She is not named on her birth certificate.  I entered the varying names into a chart to notice any pattern.  I'm not sure that there is a pattern.

For some clarity, I turned to prior generations to see who Laura may have been named after.  The source of the name may be a paternal aunt, born around 1858, listed as "Laura E. Winterton" in the 1860 and 1870 census; and dead before the 1880 census.