City Directories - Part G
I have encountered several instances of alternate last names being shown beneath the group is applies to, rather than before. In those cases, should the alternate names be ignored, or must we backtrack and correct the previous entries? Thank you.
Answers
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Alternate names, like Smith, see Smithe or Smythe are not indexed. Only the surname Smith is indexed. Alternate spellings alert the reader that if they can't find this name, they should look at the other name(s) listed.
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A "see also" list, whether it comes before or after a group of names, is specifically not alternate names of those people. In fact, the directory is saying exactly the opposite: these people do not have these names, but if you haven't found your person, you should check these other possibilities.
I've only ever done one city directory (too tedious, not my cup of tea), so I haven't encountered an actual alternate name entry, and I don't know how they're usually presented. I suspect they're actually pretty rare, since the directories are from mostly-literate communities where name spellings were well on their way to solidification.
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