Since I have been working on Thomas Lawton's records lately, I have noticed that in the old English records, his wife's maiden name is spelled Salsburie. I now have a copy of their marriage record, and her name is spelled Salsburie there too. So I believe the Salsbury spelling, that is sometimes used, should be considered incorrect. Mary Jo Sisson March

Hello Mary Jo, Mary Jo March wrote: > Since I have been working on Thomas Lawton's records lately, I have noticed that in the old English records, his wife's maiden name is spelled Salsburie. In the days before literacy became possible and affordable, spelling of surnames and whatever else was phonetic. My practice has been to use the modern spelling and to point out historical spellings in the notes section of a person's or a family's records. I now have a copy of their marriage record, and her name is spelled Salsburie there too. So I believe the Salsbury spelling, that is sometimes used, should be considered incorrect. No spelling of a surname should be considered incorrect, just pre-modern. The modern spelling of Sisson is a sort of compromise of older spellings, including Sisson itself, plus Sison, Cyson, Sissons, etc. When records are found using a pre-modern spelling, a transcription should show the spelling as found on the original document. In my opinion. David Arne Sisson