<PRE>My ancestrors have it both ways also. My ancestor Martin used the "w" but some of sons did not. The family lines jokes the W was the uppity side of the family and those that did not use it from the poorer side which was astanding joke. I guess it was just a shorter version albeit one letter,but most likely as the name was sounded out they wrote it that way as education was not a primary concern. I have seen it as Botewrite,Boatrite ands several other spellings on records and such. I use the W and my sons also,as too my father and his father but some other cousins do not,I guess it just a matter of taste,Jerry Boatwright[SC]