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From: Fulguirinas Sarah Ann <>
Subject: Deciphering signatures
Date: Sat, 27 Aug 2005 23:58:52 +1000 (EST)
In-Reply-To: <200508211103.j7LB37EM021505@lists5.rootsweb.com>


My grandmother I thought was Sarah Athlene, however
her workcard said Athlene. And it was said that she
was supposed to have been Serena or Selina but when
her father went to register her birth it came out as
Sarah Athlene. He was illiterate. So perhaps that is
why.
And then again how about the possibility of the
parents disagreeing over the name. My great-aunt was
supposed to have Catharina in her name. There was
confusion as to whether she was Hester Johanna
Catharina or Hester Catharina Johanna.
And in SAG there is Elizabeth Rosina HEATH
twice,(different generations) but in the family bible
passed down by my great-grandmother the second
Elizabeth is Elizabeth Cornelia. I wondered if an
unusual name was converted to one that sounded better
or better known.
Then again different members of my grandmother's
family spelled BURTLES as BYRTLES, BYRTELS, BURTELLS.

And when looking for things do not forget there are
transcription errors. If people heard a name and
never saw it written down or trying to read an old
document with different handwriting styles, or from a
different language.
There have been instances where a child being baptised
had the name changed somewhat because the minister
decided the child should have a "proper Christian
name" from as simple a thing as William becoming
Willem to a more complex one of Lodewyk becoming
Laurence.
All part of the fun of discovering one's family

Sarah
Christchurch
Researching HEATH, BURTLES, FOURIE, DELPORT, SMAL
mainly.

> For years my wife's paternal grandmother was known
> as Susannah Petronella
> MARDON, b. BOUCHER, but on obtaining her Death
> Notice from the Master's
> office, lo and behold! Susannah Petronella was
> actually Susanna Luseana, how
> and why she was called Susannah Petronella no one
> has a clue.
>
> Bernie.
>
> >on Friday, August 19, 2005 6:46 PM, Pat Fryk wrote
> :-
>
>
> > Just thought I'd pass this joyful bit on.
> > For years from four different researchers /and/
> or/ cousins (pre email
> > days and digital whatevers) a witness to two
> weddings and sponsor to
> > baptisms was a name deciphered as "Lenha" .And
> how I searched for that in
> > Ireland and all. Only yesterday with the original
> docs in my hand did I
> > instantly see not Lenha but Cecelia!!
> > Go figure
> > Pat
> >
> >
> > ==== SOUTH-AFRICA Mailing List ====
> >


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