In a message dated 11/17/2002 8:46:39 AM Pacific Standard Time, [email protected] writes: > I want to make it easy for future generations to verfy my work. Should I > put in a footnote explaining the different spellings? > William, I can't really recommend one method or another. When I started my database everyone was put in with the Via spelling. That way when I was searching I could find the person I was looking for regardless of the spelling. In the event fields I created a category for name spelling and added the various spellings I found for an individual. But I have started editing that method because in later generations the spellings used seemed to stay consistent down to current generations. So if I find documentation such as census records, headstone inscriptions, obituary notices, etc. and it seems to appear that that line took a particular spelling I am changing the names in my database to reflect their spelling. Better a little inconvenience for me than to misrepresent a familys name. Judy