Rick, Thanks for your very interesting comments regarding the multiple ways the name KILHAM appears. Have you ever seen the name spelled KELLEN? Thanks/regards. Mike KELLEN Peoria, Illinois ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rick Kilham" <rkilham@snet.net> To: <KELLAM-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, October 04, 2000 8:21 PM Subject: [KELLAM] Name spellings and research. > For those interested in tracing their Kilham (et al spellings) relatives who served in the Revolutionary War, let me point you to the seventeen volume set entitled "Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution". This is usually available through your library. > > In Volume 9, page 187; "Kilham, --. [This name also appears under the form of Callahan, Kelham, Kellam, Kellum, Kilhom, Killam, Killeem, Killeham, Killem, Killen, Kilham, Killiam, Killim, Killom, Killum.]" > > To puncuate this point, I have two direct relatives who were brothers with their last names spelled Killam at birth. During their service in the Revolutionary War the name's spelling stayed the same as per the records.Yet when they died at the ages of 96 and 94, buried in the same town in New Hampshire, separated by three rows, at distance of no more than 50 feet apart, the spelling of their last names were Kellom and Killom. These spellings differences for each individual appear in the town, county, and state records, as well as their grave stones. Many of the children of each man kept the individual's spelling variation even though the children were first cousins. > > So if you think you are a descendent of Richard Kelham of Virginia because you last name is spelled KELHAM, do not bet on it. You could be a descendent of Austin Kilham of Massachusetts, and vise versa. On the other hand, don't over look a spelling variation because you think it does not fit your line, it could be that long lost great grandfather you have been searching for . Do your research and prove your sources. > > Rick Kilham > > > ==== KELLAM Mailing List ==== > RootsWeb hosts more than 5,000 Surname Resource Centers. One of them > probably has the information you're looking for.... > http://resources.rootsweb.com/surnames/ > >