Notes on Names
Alternate Spellings
Some names have been spelled differently at different times and in different places. They're not misspellings as far as I can tell but alternate spellings of the same name. For purposes of naming folders and adding tags, the following spellings are used:
- "Spafford" and "Spofforth" will be spelled as "Spofford"
- "Torrance" will be spelled as "Torrence"
- "Toan" will be spelled as "Tone"
- "Clements" will be spelled as "Clement"
- "Wheedon" will be spelled as "Whedon"
Individual people's names will always be spelled as they would have spelled them, as far as I can determine.
Possible name mixups
In a number of cases more than one person has the same or similar names, combined with near-matches in their years. Often they're even closely related. Be careful of details.
- "Elizabeth Torrence" may be Elizabeth Edwards (1838-1891), who married Oliver Perry Torrence (1835-1871), or Elizabeth Torrence (1835-1907). They were sisters in law.
- "Emma Blanche Torrance" may be Emma Blanche Torrence (1868-1925) or Emma Blanche Torrence (1870-1957). In a 1955 letter from Mary Elizabeth Torrence (1903-1980), she mentions "Aunt Blanche". This refers to Emma Blanche Torrence (1870-1957).
- "William Best". William Best (1831-1918) was the uncle of William Best (1844-1901). The latter Best was Caroline Elsie Best (1872-1954)'s father.
- "John Spofford" may be John Spofford (1612-1678), John Spofford (1648-1697), John Spofford (1684-1772), or John Spofford (1729-1729).
- "Electa Hubbard" may be Electa Hubbard (1800-1872), who married John Tone (1799-1861). They had a daughter called Electa who married George F. Hubbard (1840-1876), so she is also known as Electa Hubbard, for example in the letter she wrote to Sumner LaRue Tone.