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Archiver > OHBUTLER > 1998-11 > 0910182268


From: "Bill Schwarz" <>
Subject: [OHBUTLER-L] CHURCH RECORDS
Date: Wed, 04 Nov 1998 07:24:28 -0500


List members--

Maybe someone out there can explain why a synopsis of records from the old St. Stephen Catholic Church (now St Julie Billiart) shows the given names, which are mostly German names, with what appear to be Latin endings. For example, "Johan" appears as "Johanus" or "Johanum". The Latin gender endings ("us" for male, "a" for female) are added , depending on the sex of the person. I don't know what to make of the few cases where the neuter gender ending ("um") is applied.

Since St. Stephen was a German church, could this be a practice carried over from the German states?

This is not a biggie, but any help on this would be appreciated.

Bill Schwarz
Fredericksburg VA

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