Looking for records on family is rewarding but it is not always easy. Weeding out the extras is frustrating and time consuming. And so it is with Ephraim Doe and family. The biggest problem is that those legislators of the past ruled in England and America that an unknown person was to be known as Richard or John Doe. True to form, Richard seems to have disappeared (he really is unknown) but John turns up relentlessly to confuse us.
The next problem is all those doeskin trousers, happily worn by the gentle and not so gentle men of days gone by. Every search engine finds dozens of references to them. Made from wool, they must have been warm and the array of colours in which they were made, allowed them fit into every man’s wardrobe.
Of course, our “Does” married into families with names like Carter, Bishop, Smith, Bell, Walker and Cook. They do not stand out in a crowd all being everyday words.. Even when Amelia Doe married she chose Charles Chiplin. My computer keeps directing me to Charles Chaplin which created more problems. Other people were born with one name and used another all their lives. What was wrong with being called Jack or Michael? I once found a baby born, christened and died within a few days and had a different name on each occasion. Was the mother confused or just trying to please all the relatives?
I have found the name Doe spelt as Doe Doo Dore Doer, Daw, Dow, Dhu, Due. When just three letters are so confusing it allows pity for those with longer names.
I am thankful that his mother called him Ephraim.
No comments:
Post a Comment