It certainly does sound Lee as though someone along the lines hasn't wanted the "truth" to come out!  I can't help feeling there is a combination of factors here ensuring the true facts are covered up.  My guess is that indeed, Florance was Samuel & Rebecca's daughter, who gave birth to Maude out of wedlock and therefore Samuel & Rebecca appeared to raise her as their own child. 

 

The certificate information, to me, sounds like some sort of error but at the risk of insulting our intelligence, and bearing in mind the odd handwriting in those days, are you quite happy the father is stated as "Florance"? 

 

This certainly sounds like a mystery and the other thought that has crossed my mind (as I've found the same thing in my own family history) Maude was given her real mother's surname and possibly her real father will never be known.  As I say, I've found exactly the same in my own history and of course, that has presented a complete brickwall!

 

Kay

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