This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Straub, Stroup Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/0IQBAEB/182.202.1.2.1 Message Board Post: If Frederick was born in 1844 in Union Co., PA, then we would expect to find him in the household of his parents in the 1850 census. There are two potential candidates in the 1850 census of PA, both in Chapman Twp., Union [now Snyder] Co.: 1) Frederick (ae 7, b. PA) in the household of Peter R. STRAUB (ae 36, b. PA). 2) Frederick (ae 6, b. PA) in the household of widow Mary STRAUB (ae 45, b. PA). There are no other Frederick STRAUB/STROUP's in any PA county in 1850 anywhere near age six. As I understand it, your Frederick is Frederick Whistler STRAUB/STROUP, b. Apr 1844 in Union Co., PA, who married Henrietta FORD and fought in the Civil War in the 44th Indiana Infantry. The other Frederick STRAUB/STROUP was born 24 Mar 1844 in Union Co., PA, and married first Rebecca Jane GLASS/GLASE/GLACE, whom he divorced 4 Oct 1882, then married second Rosa L. HAHN on 17 Oct 1882. He fought in the Civil War in Co. J, 53rd Pennsylvania Volunteers. The question, of course, is which parents go with which Frederick? Do you know the identities of any of your Frederick's siblings? Have you found him living near any other STRAUBs/STROUPs in his adult life? Based on the 1850 Census, Peter's children were Washington (17), Elizabeth (11), Benjamin (9), Fredrick (7), Sarah (5), Henry (3), and Anna (10 m); and Mary's children were Eliza (17), Rebecca (16), Solomon (12), Jeremiah (10), West (8), Frederick (6), and Lydia (8 m). It would obviously be helpful to find both Fredericks in the 1860 census. And if anyone knows the late husband of widow Mary and/or her maiden name, I'd greatly appreciate knowing. As for the name change from STRAUB to STROUP, it's an Anglicized phonetic misspelling. STROUP is *the* most common variation of the German/Swiss surname STRAUB/STRAUBE. These were illiterate farmers; they didn't know how to spell their name. It got written down however the particular clerk or census-enumerator happened to feel like spelling it. For a great many STRAUBs, the misspelling stuck.