My Dinges family has at least 25 documented spellings including some as far off as Tennis and Kingus. A lot of this was due to the German accent on the English clerk's ears not just the formation of the letters. Bev ========Original Message======== Subj: Re: [VASHENAN] HELP Date: 2/8/2003 7:18:45 PM Eastern Standard Time From: <A HREF="mailto:LRiffey007@aol.com">LRiffey007@aol.com</A> Reply-to: <A HREF="mailto:VASHENAN-L@rootsweb.com">VASHENAN-L@rootsweb.com</A> To: <A HREF="mailto:VASHENAN-L@rootsweb.com">VASHENAN-L@rootsweb.com</A> Sent from the Internet (Details) Thanks Joyce, you are the one and only response I've had. I am aware of the spelling variations which I find may samples just with my last name. One example I have found with the different letters is with an ancestor that died in 1810. His initials only are on the tombstone alone with the dates. His initials are J.P., but his stone has I.P on it. The difference is noted in several publications about his service in the Rev. War stating that the J's were made to look like an I in that time period. This is the only example that I am aware of. Thanks again, Larry ==== VASHENAN Mailing List ==== Shenandoah Co VAGenWeb http://www.rootsweb.com/~vashenan/vashenan.html