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Archiver > SOUTH-AFRICA > 2002-02 > 1012584354


From: "Everett MARSHALL" <>
Subject: Re: Comedy of Errors
Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2002 12:25:54 -0500


Hi Kate,
copy to francoisw

Researching Genealogy is like a hunter shooting at a moving target.

Think of even today around you; people who 'prefer' another name or
spelling - but do not bother to officially change.
I was born in Alberton, South Africa and named Gamwell Everett Wilhelm
MARSHALL on my birth certificate.
Remember standing up in the classroom and announcing your name?
What was that first name? Giggles.
For business in Canada, I stopped using Gamwell - and then used Everett.
Unless people see the Wilhelm - they do not know if I am male or female,
when I write a letter.

Bottom line;
The name on the birth certificate is paramount.
The name used later - even on 'official' documents can be different for many
reasons.
I know of Ernest - when he gets married, he signs Earnest - [maybe his new
wife liked that spelling?] But later as a witness on an official will, he
signs Ernest.
Surnames are less likely to be changed and the surname that married women
have when they die is important - even though the Death Notice information
is given by another living person. [which could be incorrect]
Mormon church PAF 5.??? genealogy program lists a married woman as Jane
/DOE/RE for the /BORNNAME/ followed by the married surname. If she marries
more than once, she still has the name she was born with and the last
married name change comes into effect. e.g. Jane /DOE/ME [Always, just two
surnames]

My living 88 year old aunt is adamant - our ancestors were VON LANDSBERG.
On South African Archives there is not One VON LANDSBERG. They all chose to
be named VAN LANDSBERG. [I think they wanted to be thought of as Dutch -
not German]
Almost nobody used their first given name - they all had (nicknames)

Genealogy does humble me, the longer I work at it.
Now I have about 12" of snow to shovel - just above freezing, will be the
high temperature today.
Nice and warm inside, to sit and write letters.
Since I added my snailmail address I get some unexpected letters. The whole
world is not computer literate. Spam I can handle.

Mr. Everett MARSHALL,
45 Slidell Crescent,
Toronto, Ontario
Canada. M3A 2C5

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