Keep in mind that an "unusual" first name could easily have resulted from a child being named for a neighbor and not necessarily a relative. And that neighbor may (or may not) necessarily be a relative. The name could still be a good clue, just not quite in the way you think.
The local doctor had kids named for him. Folks also named their kids for prominent people in the community -- business people, teachers, ministers, etc. Don't make the mistake of thinking they were all kin!
ReplyDeleteWhen his parents chose his name, my father's middle name was to honor a friend, a sea captain who, as I understand it, once substantially helped my grandfather. We have no idea who this man was beyond what I have just told you. My grandfather died when I was five years old so I never had the opportunity to ask him about it. My father only knew that the sea captain had helped his father (my grandfather). The only thing this information does for me is to explain a Spanish middle name in a Norwegian family and also placing the time frame within the first half of my grandfather's life.
ReplyDeleteI have a 4x great grandfather named Joseph Jones Pendleton. Of course I went looking for Joneses in the family and found none. It was not until I found a map in an atlas showing land boundaries with the owner's names that I discovered Joseph Jones was their next door neighbor.
ReplyDeleteMy family has several generations of Benjamin Franklin (Last name). My husband's family has "Patrick Henry" (Last Name). Don't forget all the "Lorenzo Dow" (Last names) across the South East United States.
ReplyDeleteYes, who in the heck was Lorenzo Dow?
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