NOTE: I WELCDME OBITUARIES. PLEASE INCLUDE THEM WHENEVER POSSIBLE IN THEIR ORIGINAL FORM; TYPOS AND ALL. I PREFER EITHER A TYPED VERSION OR A WEB LINK OVER A PHOTO. IT KEEPS THINGS NEAT.

I FIND OBITUARIES GIVE A LOT OF BACKGROUND ON ADOPTIONS, PASSIONS, AFFLICTIONS AND THE LITTLE THINGS THAT MAKE SOMEONE UNIQUE AND THE MARK THEY LEFT ON THE WORLD.

I'm researching many families. I got hooked on genealogy after a few DNA tests. Some of my closest ancestors are from the Gormley, Barton, Dykeman, Allen, McNeil, Davidson, West and Robb families. I'll add more names as my father's paternal origins are determined.

It's interesting to see some of the spiritual connections to your ancestors and how certain passions and traits travel down the line. I've noticed a lot of my ancestors are in healing and creative trades professions. I've also realized that a blood clot is probably going to get me. I'll probably edit this profile multiple times.

I'll use some of this space for helpful hints in no particular order:

1. People often use their middle names on their marriage certificates. Sometimes they use pet names, so it's often easier to research their parent's names listed on the marriage certificate for more accuracy.

2. Parents do not always put their child's middle name on the birth certificate; sometimes it shows up in later documents.

3. When a parent has the same first name as their child, the middle name is often used commonly, so a death certificate will not always have the actual birthname of the person being interred.

4. Variant spellings will drive you mad; sometimes. Oftentimes, the happy couple was illiterate and worked hard to learn a signature for their special day. The registrar often took liberties with spelling. The couple was often anxious to tie the knot or too polite to correct the registrar so:

Ann=Anne=Annie
Archibald=Arch=Archie

Charles=Chas==Charlie=Chuck
Charlotte=Lottie

Elizabeth=Elisabeth=Elsbeth=Lizzie=Liz or Elizabeth=Eliza =Liza=Lisa

Ella=Ella or a shortened version of another name like Isabella or Annabella, etc.

Emeline=Emma
Eugene=Gene
Etta=Etta or a shortened version of another name like Claretta or Henrietta, etc.

Frances=Fran=Frannie=Fannie=Franny=Fanny
In general Frances is used for women; Francis is used for men.

Harriet=Hattie

Henrietta=Hettie or Etta or Henny. There are a few variatons.

Jacob=Jack=Jake
James=Jamie or Jas in shorthand
Joseph=Josef=Jo(e)=Joey

Mae=May
Marcus=Mark
Margaret=Margarette= Marguerite=Maggie
Mary=Marie

Nicholas=Nick=Nico=Nils

Oliver=Ollie
Olivia=Libby= Leavy

Robert-Rob=Robbie=Robby=Bob or Rbt. in shorthand

Sarah=Sadie
Samuel=Sam

Thomas=Tom=Tommy or Thos. in shorthand

William=Will=Willie=Willy or Wm. in shorthand

Any name ending in Belle or Bel will often be Belle; this also applies to names ending in Bella.

NOTE: I WELCDME OBITUARIES. PLEASE INCLUDE THEM WHENEVER POSSIBLE IN THEIR ORIGINAL FORM; TYPOS AND ALL. I PREFER EITHER A TYPED VERSION OR A WEB LINK OVER A PHOTO. IT KEEPS THINGS NEAT.

I FIND OBITUARIES GIVE A LOT OF BACKGROUND ON ADOPTIONS, PASSIONS, AFFLICTIONS AND THE LITTLE THINGS THAT MAKE SOMEONE UNIQUE AND THE MARK THEY LEFT ON THE WORLD.

I'm researching many families. I got hooked on genealogy after a few DNA tests. Some of my closest ancestors are from the Gormley, Barton, Dykeman, Allen, McNeil, Davidson, West and Robb families. I'll add more names as my father's paternal origins are determined.

It's interesting to see some of the spiritual connections to your ancestors and how certain passions and traits travel down the line. I've noticed a lot of my ancestors are in healing and creative trades professions. I've also realized that a blood clot is probably going to get me. I'll probably edit this profile multiple times.

I'll use some of this space for helpful hints in no particular order:

1. People often use their middle names on their marriage certificates. Sometimes they use pet names, so it's often easier to research their parent's names listed on the marriage certificate for more accuracy.

2. Parents do not always put their child's middle name on the birth certificate; sometimes it shows up in later documents.

3. When a parent has the same first name as their child, the middle name is often used commonly, so a death certificate will not always have the actual birthname of the person being interred.

4. Variant spellings will drive you mad; sometimes. Oftentimes, the happy couple was illiterate and worked hard to learn a signature for their special day. The registrar often took liberties with spelling. The couple was often anxious to tie the knot or too polite to correct the registrar so:

Ann=Anne=Annie
Archibald=Arch=Archie

Charles=Chas==Charlie=Chuck
Charlotte=Lottie

Elizabeth=Elisabeth=Elsbeth=Lizzie=Liz or Elizabeth=Eliza =Liza=Lisa

Ella=Ella or a shortened version of another name like Isabella or Annabella, etc.

Emeline=Emma
Eugene=Gene
Etta=Etta or a shortened version of another name like Claretta or Henrietta, etc.

Frances=Fran=Frannie=Fannie=Franny=Fanny
In general Frances is used for women; Francis is used for men.

Harriet=Hattie

Henrietta=Hettie or Etta or Henny. There are a few variatons.

Jacob=Jack=Jake
James=Jamie or Jas in shorthand
Joseph=Josef=Jo(e)=Joey

Mae=May
Marcus=Mark
Margaret=Margarette= Marguerite=Maggie
Mary=Marie

Nicholas=Nick=Nico=Nils

Oliver=Ollie
Olivia=Libby= Leavy

Robert-Rob=Robbie=Robby=Bob or Rbt. in shorthand

Sarah=Sadie
Samuel=Sam

Thomas=Tom=Tommy or Thos. in shorthand

William=Will=Willie=Willy or Wm. in shorthand

Any name ending in Belle or Bel will often be Belle; this also applies to names ending in Bella.