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Unnecessary use of middle names?
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gera...@earthlink.net
Dec 8, 2011, 2:54:04 PM12/8/11
to cgree...@sssnet.com
Except for the egos of extremely stuffy people, the real purpose of a
middle name is to distinguish a person from a namesake living in the
same region with whom he (or she) could be confused. But I've got a
case I'm very puzzled over. In Rockingham and Shenandoah counties of
Virginia during the early 19th Century, there was one and only one
family using any form of the surname "Steffy" (Steffe, Steffee, et
al.) The founder of this line had two and only two sons, Samuel and
John. There was no need whatsoever for John to employ the middle
initial "W" -- there was no namesake with whom John Steffy could have
been confused in either county. Yet he always employed it in his
letters, and unambiguously on the 1840 Census.
I could see using a middle name unnecessarily in order to honor a
beloved relative or political or religious leader. But then you'd use
the entire middle name, not the initial. This guy never ever
specified the meaning of the middle of the initial, and a year or two
ago some people on this forum suggested that he may not even have had
a true middle name beyond the initial.
What do you think?
.
middle name is to distinguish a person from a namesake living in the
same region with whom he (or she) could be confused. But I've got a
case I'm very puzzled over. In Rockingham and Shenandoah counties of
Virginia during the early 19th Century, there was one and only one
family using any form of the surname "Steffy" (Steffe, Steffee, et
al.) The founder of this line had two and only two sons, Samuel and
John. There was no need whatsoever for John to employ the middle
initial "W" -- there was no namesake with whom John Steffy could have
been confused in either county. Yet he always employed it in his
letters, and unambiguously on the 1840 Census.
I could see using a middle name unnecessarily in order to honor a
beloved relative or political or religious leader. But then you'd use
the entire middle name, not the initial. This guy never ever
specified the meaning of the middle of the initial, and a year or two
ago some people on this forum suggested that he may not even have had
a true middle name beyond the initial.
What do you think?
.
Steve Hayes
Dec 8, 2011, 4:20:43 PM12/8/11
to
On Thu, 8 Dec 2011 11:54:04 -0800 (PST), gera...@earthlink.net wrote:
>I could see using a middle name unnecessarily in order to honor a
>beloved relative or political or religious leader. But then you'd use
>the entire middle name, not the initial. This guy never ever
>specified the meaning of the middle of the initial, and a year or two
>ago some people on this forum suggested that he may not even have had
>a true middle name beyond the initial.
>
>What do you think?
Who can know what to think about what people did 150 years ago, when there's
>I could see using a middle name unnecessarily in order to honor a
>beloved relative or political or religious leader. But then you'd use
>the entire middle name, not the initial. This guy never ever
>specified the meaning of the middle of the initial, and a year or two
>ago some people on this forum suggested that he may not even have had
>a true middle name beyond the initial.
>
>What do you think?
no one alive who still remembers them?
I had an ancestor who signed himself "Jno B. Cottam", thereby abbreviating
both his first name and his middle name. My wife's grandfather signed himself
"Wm W. Pearson". I suspect that it was just something that people did when
they were growing up, and it was probably useful to bank clerks who had to
check their signatures on cheques.
--
Steve Hayes
Web: http://hayesgreene.wordpress.com/
http://hayesgreene.blogspot.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/afgen/
Paul Drahn
Dec 8, 2011, 5:17:22 PM12/8/11
to
On 12/8/2011 1:20 PM, Steve Hayes wrote:
> On Thu, 8 Dec 2011 11:54:04 -0800 (PST), gera...@earthlink.net wrote:
>
>> I could see using a middle name unnecessarily in order to honor a
>> beloved relative or political or religious leader. But then you'd use
>> the entire middle name, not the initial. This guy never ever
>> specified the meaning of the middle of the initial, and a year or two
>> ago some people on this forum suggested that he may not even have had
>> a true middle name beyond the initial.
>>
>> What do you think?
>
> Who can know what to think about what people did 150 years ago, when there's
> no one alive who still remembers them?
>
> I had an ancestor who signed himself "Jno B. Cottam", thereby abbreviating
> both his first name and his middle name. My wife's grandfather signed himself
> "Wm W. Pearson". I suspect that it was just something that people did when
> they were growing up, and it was probably useful to bank clerks who had to
> check their signatures on cheques.
>
>
>
>
>
And then there are family traditions where most of the men and many of
> On Thu, 8 Dec 2011 11:54:04 -0800 (PST), gera...@earthlink.net wrote:
>
>> I could see using a middle name unnecessarily in order to honor a
>> beloved relative or political or religious leader. But then you'd use
>> the entire middle name, not the initial. This guy never ever
>> specified the meaning of the middle of the initial, and a year or two
>> ago some people on this forum suggested that he may not even have had
>> a true middle name beyond the initial.
>>
>> What do you think?
>
> Who can know what to think about what people did 150 years ago, when there's
> no one alive who still remembers them?
>
> I had an ancestor who signed himself "Jno B. Cottam", thereby abbreviating
> both his first name and his middle name. My wife's grandfather signed himself
> "Wm W. Pearson". I suspect that it was just something that people did when
> they were growing up, and it was probably useful to bank clerks who had to
> check their signatures on cheques.
>
>
>
>
>
the women were known only by their middle names. My father's line for
example. I had an older brother who died a couple of years before I was
born. Mom and Dad always referred to him as "Billy". It wasn't until I
began family genealogy a few years ago that I realized his name was
actually "Daniel William".
Paul
Brian
Dec 8, 2011, 9:36:19 PM12/8/11
to
On Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:17:22 -0800, Paul Drahn
<pdr...@webformixair.com> wrote:
>And then there are family traditions where most of the men and many of
>the women were known only by their middle names. My father's line for
>example. I had an older brother who died a couple of years before I was
>born. Mom and Dad always referred to him as "Billy". It wasn't until I
>began family genealogy a few years ago that I realized his name was
>actually "Daniel William".
>
>Paul
My father was called Bill by his family and William wasn't anywhere in
<pdr...@webformixair.com> wrote:
>And then there are family traditions where most of the men and many of
>the women were known only by their middle names. My father's line for
>example. I had an older brother who died a couple of years before I was
>born. Mom and Dad always referred to him as "Billy". It wasn't until I
>began family genealogy a few years ago that I realized his name was
>actually "Daniel William".
>
>Paul
his name. He was supposed to be named William but his uncle, who was
supposed to be the godfather, said he wouldn't do it if he was named
William because there were too many Williams in the family. So he
wound up being a Jr.
That worked out OK because his father went by his middle name as did a
number of other members of his family.
Bremick
Dec 8, 2011, 9:46:44 PM12/8/11
to
"Brian" <drmorri...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:jqs2e7d1bam9s7gs8...@4ax.com...
middle names. In each case, the parents selected a specific first name
based on family tradition, but chose their son's middle name because they
liked that name, and that was how each boy was known through adulthood.
Lesley Robertson
Dec 9, 2011, 5:17:16 AM12/9/11
to
<gera...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:0d4cc7c7-41b8-4c58...@o9g2000vbc.googlegroups.com...
initial as well as my forename.
You can't lay down the law as to why people did/do things - everyone has
their own reasons.
Lesley Robertson
gera...@earthlink.net
Dec 9, 2011, 9:11:40 AM12/9/11
to
The people who responded seem to be missing my point. This guy isn't
using a middle name -- only an initial. So it's irrelevant that some
people go by their middle names, since he didn't go by "W." The point
is that he used a middle initial in a region where none was necessary
to distinguish himself from non-existent namesakes.
using a middle name -- only an initial. So it's irrelevant that some
people go by their middle names, since he didn't go by "W." The point
is that he used a middle initial in a region where none was necessary
to distinguish himself from non-existent namesakes.
Bremick
Dec 9, 2011, 11:37:22 AM12/9/11
to
<gera...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:87a032f6-a131-48bd...@h3g2000yqa.googlegroups.com...
refer to themselves, verbally or on paper. There may be no apparent reason
to you, but there seems to have been one for the individual in question. I
can envision where a man like Joseph Williams might have been called simply
J W for much of his life, and could ocasionally appear in records as J. W.
Williams or even Joseph W. Williams. Stranger things have happened.
.
Wes Groleau
Dec 9, 2011, 8:17:55 PM12/9/11
to
that you can be certain his motive was to distinguish himself
from non-existent namesakes.
I'm pretty sure that there are very few people named "Wes Groleau"
and the reason I always sign anything financial or legal with my
full name has absolutely nothing to do with distinguishing myself
from them.
--
W. Wesley Groleau
A pessimist says the glass is half empty.
An optimist says the glass is half full.
An engineer says somebody made the glass
twice as big as it needed to be.
.
Paul Drahn
Dec 9, 2011, 3:22:22 PM12/9/11
to
grandfather. His wife told me that his highschool would not let him
start without a full name. He didn't have a clue what his name was. His
birth certificate was no help. It also had "E.L.". So he just made up
names to go with the initials. Everyone still calls him "EL".
Paul
.
knuttle
Dec 10, 2011, 9:13:35 AM12/10/11
to
On 12/9/2011 8:17 PM, Wes Groleau wrote:
> On 12-09-2011 09:11, gera...@earthlink.net wrote:
>> The people who responded seem to be missing my point. This guy isn't
>> using a middle name -- only an initial. So it's irrelevant that some
>> people go by their middle names, since he didn't go by "W." The point
>> is that he used a middle initial in a region where none was necessary
>> to distinguish himself from non-existent namesakes.
>
> You know he consistently used the middle initial, but I doubt
> that you can be certain his motive was to distinguish himself
> from non-existent namesakes.
>
> I'm pretty sure that there are very few people named "Wes Groleau"
> and the reason I always sign anything financial or legal with my
> full name has absolutely nothing to do with distinguishing myself
> from them.
>
I have an interesting situation on middle names/initials. From about
> On 12-09-2011 09:11, gera...@earthlink.net wrote:
>> The people who responded seem to be missing my point. This guy isn't
>> using a middle name -- only an initial. So it's irrelevant that some
>> people go by their middle names, since he didn't go by "W." The point
>> is that he used a middle initial in a region where none was necessary
>> to distinguish himself from non-existent namesakes.
>
> You know he consistently used the middle initial, but I doubt
> that you can be certain his motive was to distinguish himself
> from non-existent namesakes.
>
> I'm pretty sure that there are very few people named "Wes Groleau"
> and the reason I always sign anything financial or legal with my
> full name has absolutely nothing to do with distinguishing myself
> from them.
>
1826 until he died in 1886 he used a G as a middle initial. (I have not
found the middle name.) About 20 years after his death the family
changed the G to Jay. Supposedly the G was for his mother's maiden name.
The only way I can explain it is if the mother's maiden name were Gee,
pronounced Zhay as the French word Gée.
Steve Hayes
Dec 10, 2011, 9:55:28 AM12/10/11
to
On Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:22:22 -0800, Paul Drahn <pdr...@webformixair.com>
wrote:
>Well, a cousin goes by the initial "E. L.". So did his father and
>grandfather. His wife told me that his highschool would not let him
>start without a full name. He didn't have a clue what his name was. His
>birth certificate was no help. It also had "E.L.". So he just made up
>names to go with the initials. Everyone still calls him "EL".
A friend of mine had a cousin whose father's names were Nicolaas Jacobus.
It was a family tradition -- the eldest son was Nicoaas Jacobus, and so his
father, his grandfather and great great frandfather etc we all named Nicolaas
Jacobus, but they were all called NJ.
My friend's cousin's parents decided to break with the tradition, and they
named him Enjay.
wrote:
>Well, a cousin goes by the initial "E. L.". So did his father and
>grandfather. His wife told me that his highschool would not let him
>start without a full name. He didn't have a clue what his name was. His
>birth certificate was no help. It also had "E.L.". So he just made up
>names to go with the initials. Everyone still calls him "EL".
It was a family tradition -- the eldest son was Nicoaas Jacobus, and so his
father, his grandfather and great great frandfather etc we all named Nicolaas
Jacobus, but they were all called NJ.
My friend's cousin's parents decided to break with the tradition, and they
named him Enjay.
Yo$$1960
Dec 10, 2011, 11:49:38 AM12/10/11
to
On Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:22:22 -0800, Paul Drahn wrote:
> Well, a cousin goes by the initial "E. L.". So did his father and
> grandfather. His wife told me that his highschool would not let him start
> without a full name. He didn't have a clue what his name was. His birth
> certificate was no help. It also had "E.L.". So he just made up names to
> go with the initials. Everyone still calls him "EL".
A radio programme hosted by John Peel had a story about somebody similar.
> Well, a cousin goes by the initial "E. L.". So did his father and
> grandfather. His wife told me that his highschool would not let him start
> without a full name. He didn't have a clue what his name was. His birth
> certificate was no help. It also had "E.L.". So he just made up names to
> go with the initials. Everyone still calls him "EL".
He had initials only, no personal names; R.B. IDK his surname. Whenever
he applied for something that required full name, he would always end up
getting the paperwork sent back, and he'd have to explain about the
initials only. Having got fed up with this, the next time papers required
filling in, he entered R only B only SURNAME. In due course, whatever
he'd applied for came.....
labelled....
Ronly Bonly SURNAME.
Sometimes, you just can't win.
--
Regards _
/ ) "The blindingly obvious is
/ _)rad never immediately apparent"
Watching the people get lairy
I Predict A Riot - Kaiser Chiefs
Wes Groleau
Dec 11, 2011, 12:33:10 AM12/11/11
to
On 12-10-2011 11:49, Yo$$1960 wrote:
> On Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:22:22 -0800, Paul Drahn wrote:
>
>> Well, a cousin goes by the initial "E. L.". So did his father and
>> grandfather. His wife told me that his highschool would not let him start
>> without a full name. He didn't have a clue what his name was. His birth
>> certificate was no help. It also had "E.L.". So he just made up names to
>> go with the initials. Everyone still calls him "EL".
>
> A radio programme hosted by John Peel had a story about somebody similar.
> He had initials only, no personal names; R.B. IDK his surname. Whenever
> he applied for something that required full name, he would always end up
> getting the paperwork sent back, and he'd have to explain about the
> initials only. Having got fed up with this, the next time papers required
> filling in, he entered R only B only SURNAME. In due course, whatever
> he'd applied for came.....
>
> labelled....
>
> Ronly Bonly SURNAME.
>
> Sometimes, you just can't win.
My parents always called me by my middle name. Don't know why.
> On Fri, 09 Dec 2011 12:22:22 -0800, Paul Drahn wrote:
>
>> Well, a cousin goes by the initial "E. L.". So did his father and
>> grandfather. His wife told me that his highschool would not let him start
>> without a full name. He didn't have a clue what his name was. His birth
>> certificate was no help. It also had "E.L.". So he just made up names to
>> go with the initials. Everyone still calls him "EL".
>
> A radio programme hosted by John Peel had a story about somebody similar.
> He had initials only, no personal names; R.B. IDK his surname. Whenever
> he applied for something that required full name, he would always end up
> getting the paperwork sent back, and he'd have to explain about the
> initials only. Having got fed up with this, the next time papers required
> filling in, he entered R only B only SURNAME. In due course, whatever
> he'd applied for came.....
>
> labelled....
>
> Ronly Bonly SURNAME.
>
> Sometimes, you just can't win.
Don't think they even know why. So, to head off the expected
bureaucratic nonsense when I joined the Navy, I had my full name
legally changed to the way I always sign legal documents:
W. Wesley Groleau
No, the instructions are first name, middle initial, last name. What's
the first name?
W.
FULL first name. What's the W stand for?
Nothing. W. is my first name.
If it doesn't stand for anything, it's not an initial and you can't put
a period after it.
So in my military records I am
"W" W. GROLEAU
--
Wes Groleau
Anything but Sue !!
Brian
Dec 12, 2011, 9:31:06 PM12/12/11
to
Not everyone is always consistent. Perhaps they were individualists.
Bob Melson
Dec 12, 2011, 10:11:40 PM12/12/11
to
On Friday 09 December 2011 07:11, gera...@earthlink.net
(gera...@earthlink.net) opined:
People don't, and shouldn't be expected to, march in lockstep. What to you
appears unnecessary could have seemed reasonable to the "guilty party" for
any of an untold number of reasons. Assuming that the only reason he used
a middle initial or name was to distinguish himself from another person of
the same name is specious reasoning at best; are you able to ask him or is
there evidence that that was the case? Since you don't, and probably
can't, know his reasons, the best thing to do is to acknowledge that he
did the dirty deed and move on.
--
Robert G. Melson | Rio Grande MicroSolutions | El Paso, Texas
-----
The greatest tyrannies are always perpetrated
in the name of the noblest causes -- Thomas Paine
(gera...@earthlink.net) opined:
appears unnecessary could have seemed reasonable to the "guilty party" for
any of an untold number of reasons. Assuming that the only reason he used
a middle initial or name was to distinguish himself from another person of
the same name is specious reasoning at best; are you able to ask him or is
there evidence that that was the case? Since you don't, and probably
can't, know his reasons, the best thing to do is to acknowledge that he
did the dirty deed and move on.
--
Robert G. Melson | Rio Grande MicroSolutions | El Paso, Texas
-----
The greatest tyrannies are always perpetrated
in the name of the noblest causes -- Thomas Paine
Wes Groleau
Dec 13, 2011, 1:07:53 AM12/13/11
to
On 12-09-2011 20:17, Wes Groleau wrote:
> You know he consistently used the middle initial, but I doubt
> that you can be certain his motive was to distinguish himself
> from non-existent namesakes.
Then again, maybe that _was_ his motive. It's possible the
> You know he consistently used the middle initial, but I doubt
> that you can be certain his motive was to distinguish himself
> from non-existent namesakes.
namesake DID exist but didn't leave a record.
--
Wes Groleau
“If it wasn't for that blasted back-hoe,
a hundred of us could be working with shovels”
“Yeah, and if it weren't for our shovels,
a thousand of us could be working with spoons."
Brian
Dec 13, 2011, 9:27:13 PM12/13/11
to
On Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:11:40 -0700, Bob Melson <amia...@mypacks.net>
wrote:
>On Friday 09 December 2011 07:11, gera...@earthlink.net
>(gera...@earthlink.net) opined:
>
>> The people who responded seem to be missing my point. This guy isn't
>> using a middle name -- only an initial. So it's irrelevant that some
>> people go by their middle names, since he didn't go by "W." The point
>> is that he used a middle initial in a region where none was necessary
>> to distinguish himself from non-existent namesakes.
>
>People don't, and shouldn't be expected to, march in lockstep. What to you
>appears unnecessary could have seemed reasonable to the "guilty party" for
>any of an untold number of reasons. Assuming that the only reason he used
>a middle initial or name was to distinguish himself from another person of
>the same name is specious reasoning at best; are you able to ask him or is
>there evidence that that was the case? Since you don't, and probably
>can't, know his reasons, the best thing to do is to acknowledge that he
>did the dirty deed and move on.
Perhaps by using the middle initial, he was honoring some relative or
friend who is now unknown.
wrote:
>On Friday 09 December 2011 07:11, gera...@earthlink.net
>(gera...@earthlink.net) opined:
>
>> The people who responded seem to be missing my point. This guy isn't
>> using a middle name -- only an initial. So it's irrelevant that some
>> people go by their middle names, since he didn't go by "W." The point
>> is that he used a middle initial in a region where none was necessary
>> to distinguish himself from non-existent namesakes.
>
>People don't, and shouldn't be expected to, march in lockstep. What to you
>appears unnecessary could have seemed reasonable to the "guilty party" for
>any of an untold number of reasons. Assuming that the only reason he used
>a middle initial or name was to distinguish himself from another person of
>the same name is specious reasoning at best; are you able to ask him or is
>there evidence that that was the case? Since you don't, and probably
>can't, know his reasons, the best thing to do is to acknowledge that he
>did the dirty deed and move on.
friend who is now unknown.
Message has been deleted
Wes Groleau
Dec 16, 2011, 1:04:28 AM12/16/11
to
On 12-15-2011 11:18, f/fgeorge wrote:
> My father in law was the first one in his family born in a hospital,
> when the nurse came in to ask his mom what his name would be for the
> birth certificate, she said "Henry Junior of course", so his name was
> Henry Junior Buckner NOT Henry Buckner Jr as the mom had wanted! He
> went into the military and told them he had no middle name so they put
> NMN, which means no middle name, on all of his records. He went thru
> 99% of his life telling people he had NO middle name until I did his
> genealogy and got a copy of the birth certificate, he was SOOOOOO mad,
> his mom just rolled on the floor laughing as she told the 'family
> secret'!
Junior is my father's middle name, only it is not a mistake.
His father was Publius, aka Peter, but my father is Richard.
I was in the Navy for a few years before it dawned on me
what NMN meant. Up to then I had been thinking we had an
awful lot of people named Norman. :-)
--
Wes Groleau
Teacher Tip: Organization
http://Ideas.Lang-Learn.us/russell?itemid=1568
> My father in law was the first one in his family born in a hospital,
> when the nurse came in to ask his mom what his name would be for the
> birth certificate, she said "Henry Junior of course", so his name was
> Henry Junior Buckner NOT Henry Buckner Jr as the mom had wanted! He
> went into the military and told them he had no middle name so they put
> NMN, which means no middle name, on all of his records. He went thru
> 99% of his life telling people he had NO middle name until I did his
> genealogy and got a copy of the birth certificate, he was SOOOOOO mad,
> his mom just rolled on the floor laughing as she told the 'family
> secret'!
Junior is my father's middle name, only it is not a mistake.
His father was Publius, aka Peter, but my father is Richard.
I was in the Navy for a few years before it dawned on me
what NMN meant. Up to then I had been thinking we had an
awful lot of people named Norman. :-)
--
Wes Groleau
Teacher Tip: Organization
http://Ideas.Lang-Learn.us/russell?itemid=1568
Message has been deleted
gera...@earthlink.net
Dec 19, 2011, 5:49:25 PM12/19/11
to
I know have a letter from the son of the person I'm puzzling over, who
also shares the same middle initial as his father, and who similarly
has no documents elucidating what if anything it stood for. Anyway,
in this 1850 letter to a very close friend from his church, he signs
GWS. Utterly unnecessary use of a middle initial. I guess it must
have been the fashion.
also shares the same middle initial as his father, and who similarly
has no documents elucidating what if anything it stood for. Anyway,
in this 1850 letter to a very close friend from his church, he signs
GWS. Utterly unnecessary use of a middle initial. I guess it must
have been the fashion.
Steve Hayes
Dec 19, 2011, 10:09:23 PM12/19/11
to
Lesley Robertson
Dec 21, 2011, 4:25:20 AM12/21/11
to
<gera...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:8ea4a5ea-d4d6-4fad...@o9g2000vbc.googlegroups.com...
and will continue to do so with or without approval from strangers. It's not
"necessary", I just like it.
The son probably did it because his father did.
Sometimes a name still occurs in a family generations after the original
owner has been forgotten. It's no longer about them, it's about nearer
generations who were given it without knowing its origin.
Lesley Robertson
Anne Chambers
Dec 21, 2011, 4:33:23 AM12/21/11
to
--
Anne Chambers
South Australia
anne dot chambers at bigpond dot com
Anne Chambers
Dec 21, 2011, 4:37:45 AM12/21/11
to
information, can you say it is an unnecessary use ? Look for a baptism/birth registration/family bible. It
seems to me you are trying to make your preconceived ideas, based on current practices, fit what you have
discovered so far.
Phyllis
Mar 15, 2012, 6:38:22 PM3/15/12
to
"Paul Drahn" <pdr...@webformixair.com> wrote in message
news:jbrd1n$cps$1...@dont-email.me...
I thought should have been my grandfather, but had a different first name
even though the parents were correct. When I asked here about it, I was
told many people used middle names as first names, and it solved the problem
of Lawrence W. Harper appearing as William L. on the census. Thank this
group again.
Phyllis
Keith Nuttle
Mar 16, 2012, 9:26:40 AM3/16/12
to
his life and his middle name for the rest.
I found the situation where, when he was living with his parents he went
by his middle name, but when he got married with a family of his own by
his first name. When I contacted the person with this person in his
online tree listing his first and middle name, he said that as long as
he remembered it was a fact openly known in his family. After being
frustrated by this, I pulled out all of my family bibles and copied the
genealogical information so I could send it to anyone who found the
problem in my family.
ne...@jecarter.us
Mar 16, 2012, 10:11:59 AM3/16/12
to
On Fri, 16 Mar 2012 09:26:40 -0400, Keith Nuttle
<Keith_...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>On 3/15/2012 6:38 PM, Phyllis wrote:
>> "Paul Drahn"<pdr...@webformixair.com> wrote in message
>> news:jbrd1n$cps$1...@dont-email.me...
[snip]
<Keith_...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>On 3/15/2012 6:38 PM, Phyllis wrote:
>> "Paul Drahn"<pdr...@webformixair.com> wrote in message
>> news:jbrd1n$cps$1...@dont-email.me...
>There is the situation where a person uses his first name for part of
>his life and his middle name for the rest.
>
>I found the situation where, when he was living with his parents he went
>by his middle name, but when he got married with a family of his own by
> his first name. When I contacted the person with this person in his
>online tree listing his first and middle name, he said that as long as
>he remembered it was a fact openly known in his family. After being
>frustrated by this, I pulled out all of my family bibles and copied the
>genealogical information so I could send it to anyone who found the
>problem in my family.
>
Sometimes we never learn the exact reason. My mother used her first
>his life and his middle name for the rest.
>
>I found the situation where, when he was living with his parents he went
>by his middle name, but when he got married with a family of his own by
> his first name. When I contacted the person with this person in his
>online tree listing his first and middle name, he said that as long as
>he remembered it was a fact openly known in his family. After being
>frustrated by this, I pulled out all of my family bibles and copied the
>genealogical information so I could send it to anyone who found the
>problem in my family.
>
name until her junior/senior year of high school, then started using
her middle name.
Brian
Mar 18, 2012, 11:19:50 PM3/18/12
to
On Fri, 16 Mar 2012 10:11:59 -0400, ne...@jecarter.us wrote:
>
>Sometimes we never learn the exact reason. My mother used her first
>name until her junior/senior year of high school, then started using
>her middle name.
We have a friend who I met in Atlanta and he used his middle name
>
>Sometimes we never learn the exact reason. My mother used her first
>name until her junior/senior year of high school, then started using
>her middle name.
there. He later moved to DC and started using his first name. It's a
little strange being someplace with people from Atlanta and DC who are
calling the same person by two different names.
Ralph Bailey
Mar 30, 2012, 3:16:32 PM3/30/12
to alt-ge...@rootsweb.com
I have always gone by my middle name, but in college and in the military
your first name is used and people start calling you by your first name.
I presume that because of this many people give up and start using their
first name.
Ralph
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your first name is used and people start calling you by your first name.
I presume that because of this many people give up and start using their
first name.
Ralph
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Brian
Mar 30, 2012, 11:31:05 PM3/30/12
to
On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:16:32 -0500, "Ralph Bailey"
<rbail...@gmail.com> wrote:
>I have always gone by my middle name, but in college and in the military
>your first name is used and people start calling you by your first name.
>
>I presume that because of this many people give up and start using their
>first name.
>
>Ralph
That may well be although I don't remember being in the military with
<rbail...@gmail.com> wrote:
>I have always gone by my middle name, but in college and in the military
>your first name is used and people start calling you by your first name.
>
>I presume that because of this many people give up and start using their
>first name.
>
>Ralph
anyone who wanted to go by their middle name.
The friend I mentioned was never in the military though.
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