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Archiver > MDFREDER > 2004-05 > 1085862986


From: "Timothy L. Robinson" <>
Subject: Spellings of family names on Records
Date: Sat, 29 May 2004 16:36:26 -0400


I'll pass this along to everyone, since there may be new folks joining a
list for the 1st time, and are only looking for a certain spelling of their
ancesters names. This is so important in searching genealogy records for
your people. I sent this to a person whom I was helping, and was told that
"the family didn't spell it that way", of the findings I had sent to her. I
kinda got my feeling hurt, but I'll get over it!
****
I am not sure if you are aware of name spelling down through
the years, If you are looking for a certain spelling while doing
genealogy, you will most assuredly miss quite a number of
your ancesters. Names were spelled for the most part on all
records by clerks who wrote them down as they felt they would
be spelled as sounded.
For instance, in one Will, a persons first and last name were
spelled differently 4 times, so you absolutely cannot go by one
certain spelling.
Court records are another source of misspellings, and that
is a fact of the system, so you have to look at all names that
are in any records, and tie them together through dates and
locations, and other family members.

DON'T MISS OUT BY JUST LOOKING AT ONE SPELLING.

I hope I've helped you out some.

Tim
*****

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