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Archiver > PAALLEGH > 1997-05 > 0862601833


From: Valentine Hompoth <>
Subject: Re: Rebecca Street/ALGEO
Date: Fri, 2 May 1997 15:37:13 -0400


At 02:57 PM 5/2/97 -0400, you wrote:
>Hi, Betty:
>
>This is a long shot, but why not try looking for the name under B not P?
> Sometimes, in early records, the p and b in German names are interchanged
>even by native Germans, as are d and t. If someone who was not familiar with
>German (such as a census-taker) heard the name Poppenger spoken in a thick
>dialect for example, it could have sounded to him like Boppenger, and that's
>how it would have been written. If the immigrant didn't know how his name
>had been spelled on the census, he would have no opportunity (or perhaps
>inclination) to correct the census taker.
>
>I caught on to the possibilities of interchangeable letters while researching
>Colonial-era German church records in Eastern Pennsylvania. There were many
>instances where the p and b letters were interchanged, etc. Also, many
>German names were spelled phoentically by English-speaking officials like
>Naturalization officials, etc.
>
>It might be worth a try. The only other suggestion I could offer is to go
>through ALL of the 1870 census reels which include the North Side wards
>(Allegheny City). A line by line search is sometimes the only way to locate
>someone who was not a head of household, but who was living with a family who
>was enumerated. The 1870 Census has been published in book form, and there
>is a copy at the Carnegie Library in Pgh., in the Pennsylvania Room. Perhaps
>someone at the library would be willing to look up Boppenger for you....Wish
>I could be of further help. Good luck!
>
>Best wishes,
>Laura Cutshall
>
>
Laura,

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll try it.

Betty Hompoth

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