Robert and Audrey, The source of the information I found for Audrey was Stephen E. Bradley Jr.'s abstracted transcription of the Edgecombe County 1850 Federal census. Bradley's introduction states that the population schedule was transcribed from the National Archives microfilm. It appears that the census taker in some cases wrote out whole names and in others used initials or abbreviations, probably for reasons entirely his own. Traci the Librarian From: "Robert G. Lewis" <rlew6897@rollinginternet.com> Hi, Audrey: The copy of the census from which what you saw was in all probibility NOT the original. Remember that in 1850 there were neither copy machines nor carbon paper. Every entry on each of the copies (3?) that had to be made had to be written by the census taker. The original was the one with which he traveled around the county and on that one, you will most likely find complete names. By the time the census taker got home and worked by candle light or by a kerosene lamp or lantern, he was too tired to really care and would take the shortcut of using initials. Now that you know where to look, see if you can get a view of the original copy which is probably in the national archives. I expect that you will find complete names on that one. Hope this helps explain the use of initials. _____________________________________________________________________ Audrey, Jno was most often used as an abbreviation for both John and Jonathan, but you never know what could have happened. Sorry, I looked at every Savage family in the Edgecombe 1860 census and did not see anything remotely fitting. I was using Stephen Bradley's transcription again. Traci From: AaronGFett@aol.com Traci, It didn't sink in until just now, wasn't Jno an abbreviation for John? I was always told that my George's father's name was James H. Savage (says that on George's death cert too). If it's not too much trouble, could I bother you to check the 1860 census for me for my George A. Savage and family...he'd have been about 14 by then. Thanks so very much once again. Audrey Orlando, FL ____________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com