There has been a lot of controversy over my grandmother's name. She was born Elsie Edith Knight. I have birth certificates from her three daughters which show her name as Elsie. Early census records show her as Elsie. Her and her sister stated that to me as well. Her marriage record to Joseph Clarke lists her name as Elsie. For personal reasons, when she married Isaac Henry Baysinger, she used her middle name Edith and continued using it. In addition, the e was dropped from her last name Clarke which happened frequently within the family as well. Isaac also used his middle name Henry when they were married. Despite Elsie using her middle name Edith when she married Isaac, she was still known by many as Elsie for a number of years. Even some of Isaac's children knew her by the name Elsie. I have census records from when she was married to Henry which also have her name listed as Elsie. Due to the way Social Security numbers were done in the past, Elsie is listed by Social Security as Edith. However, I believe there is substantial documentation and family history that shows her name was Elsie Edith despite the engraving on the tomb stone. Her son William chose to use the name Edith on her tomb stone because that was the name she was known by in her later adult years.
There has been a lot of controversy over my grandmother's name. She was born Elsie Edith Knight. I have birth certificates from her three daughters which show her name as Elsie. Early census records show her as Elsie. Her and her sister stated that to me as well. Her marriage record to Joseph Clarke lists her name as Elsie. For personal reasons, when she married Isaac Henry Baysinger, she used her middle name Edith and continued using it. In addition, the e was dropped from her last name Clarke which happened frequently within the family as well. Isaac also used his middle name Henry when they were married. Despite Elsie using her middle name Edith when she married Isaac, she was still known by many as Elsie for a number of years. Even some of Isaac's children knew her by the name Elsie. I have census records from when she was married to Henry which also have her name listed as Elsie. Due to the way Social Security numbers were done in the past, Elsie is listed by Social Security as Edith. However, I believe there is substantial documentation and family history that shows her name was Elsie Edith despite the engraving on the tomb stone. Her son William chose to use the name Edith on her tomb stone because that was the name she was known by in her later adult years.
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