Sean, Re spelling of "McLain" surname . . . maybe you've already discovered this, but so far in my research on my Charles McLain line, I have found the surname spelling is not consistent for the family. Other researchers have the same experience. For instance, maybe your family finally settled on a spelling as time went by (perhaps due to standardization of spellings for official reporting, gov't, etc.) but earlier spellings will probably vary from McClain, to McClane, or McLane, McLain, McLaine, McClanes, etc. so stay flexible in your searches. This has also been my experience for my Andrews family: Andrews, Andrus, Andres, Anders and even Adams has shown up on census records or land records. The last in the family line to carry the name, my great-great grandmother Parthenia, used ANDERS after the family settled in Arkansas. As I go back beyond the ANDREWS spelling that shows up in North Carolina and Georgia, who knows how I'll find the name spelled! For sure, name spellings on records "across the pond" in Europe, etc. were not consistent. I'm told by some German relatives still in Germany that in times past, it was seen as a mark of a learned man/woman to be able to write in beautiful script and spell a name in several ways---hence our RIQUIER line in Germany has shown up as RIQUIR and RIQUER. Our WILLMS line has been seen as WILMS, WILLEMS, etc. and in the USA, they named their children WILLIAMS but the parents continued to use WILLMS. Gets very confusing doesn't it. Good luck! Audrey Williams Stanaland Loudon, TN ----- Original Message ----- From: "S Patrick Barrett" <s_patrick_barrett@hotmail.com> To: <McClain-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, November 30, 2003 12:07 PM Subject: [McClain] Re: McClain-D Digest V03 #117 > > I am researching MCCLAINE. Does anyone have any idea when the E was added > to the end. I have an Omer McClaine with no dates. He married Daisie Ellen > HENDRICKS and had 5 children. Does anyone have a connection? > > Sean Barrett >