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Archiver > TMG > 2002-10 > 1033498921


From: "SorN Watkins" <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] Family NAME Change
Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2002 12:02:01 -0700
References: <200210011106120020.00806AA3@mailhub.aros.net>


I tend to record all varient spellings as well as their source. I choose
what was most common as the primary. Therefore, I don't get hung up over
spelling. Besides, no one in my database has contacted me to complain.
If I'm tempted to be rigid I pull out a marriage license from Tennessee
where the bride's name is spelled three different ways in the same document.
I don't consider poor handwriting anything more than that and never
considered it an excuse for a varient spelling.

I have added a correction when a listed name is demonstrably wrong (not
without recording the wrong spelling too.)
example - I've a 5th g grandmother listed everywhere I've seen as having the
first name Behethalum. Heh??
She has at least one granddaughter named Bethlehem. Behethalum is now just
a varient spelling even though I've never seen the grandmother listed any
other way.

Sherm
----- Original Message -----
From: Stuart Armstrong <>
>
> I do not consider spelling of names a critical thing that needs much
exactness. My justification for this is that most older records (and even
some modern ones) do not themselves treat spelling in any critical or
consistant manner. If it wasn't important to them then it wasn't important.
What is important is to be able to recognize the name and distinguish it
from other names


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