Last
month when introducing Pete Deremer’s latest pet project – creating
his personal family tree online – we mentioned that he was just one
in a long line of family members to have been bitten by the
genealogy “bug.” This month we want to share some examples of our
family’s efforts to record some of the Spiker names in our history.
It wasn’t always easy to gather the details. Memories faded.
People died. Courthouses burned down or were flooded. A lot of
what our family knew about their ancestors came from stories that
were passed along. And as we’ve discovered in charting our
genealogy, what may have been long regarded as fact, may not have
been corroborated by other “sources.”
“Sources” are like “audit trails” that verify, or prove, the data
and events recorded in our tree. The info may come from census
records, military records, a tombstone rubbing, a newspaper clipping
or a family bible. Letters and interviews are also cited as
“sources”. But as you can imagine, some are much more reliable and
more accurate than others. And interestingly, the info derived from
some “sources” comes as a complete surprise to those who thought
they knew all the facts.
In 1925 Gay and Jacob Spiker named their newborn son “Robert Roe
Spiker”. Years later, when securing a copy of his Birth Certificate
for the U.S. Army Air Corps, Bob discovered that his “birth”
name was not his “legal” name. Glaringly missing from the
official document was his middle name, “Roe.”
This is not the
only time we've seen a discrepancy in a name. In a
letter written by Jake's "Sister Gracie,"
in which she records some important family dates, we noted she
spelled their brother's name "Pearley" (with an "ey"). The
same spelling appears in his WWI Registration card. However,
his WWII Registration card does not contain the additional "e" and,
interestingly, Pearly signed his name to the cards using both
spellings. (Click here to view both
cards.)
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We don't have a copy of Pearly's Birth
Certificate but Melanie Fouse tells us that "The Birth Book of
Records (not a certificate but a book with a long line of people born
that month) states...his name is legally 'Pearl Ray.' There is
no 'y' although there is a tiny mark between the 'l' and the 'r" in
'Ray' so it could be that they tried to correct it."
And although Robert and Pearly may have
disputed what they believed to be their "real names," others in
our family may have wished their own "real names" could have
been so easily altered (or even forgotten.)
We are told that Pearly's sister (Gracie
Gurdle) and daughter (Yetive) apparently
received a lot of ribbing over the years for their names. Yetive
shared this amusing story in a letter she wrote to Bob and Dean Spiker
several years ago (view the letter here.)
Her letter, Pearly's registration cards and Robert's birth certificate
are all valuable "sources" we use to document the names of our
kinfolk. But when the "primary source" differs from the
"secondary source,"...I ask Mom.
She may
recall that Daddy's middle name, Roe, came from his grandfather, Isaac
Monroe, whose middle name may have been taken from the county in which
Isaac was born, Monroe County, Ohio.
Which brings us back to the lesson learned last month. Mother
won't always be around. Her memory of the names, dates and
events will fade over time. So it's important for us to
ask the questions. And it's important for us to write down the
answers.
My question for today is for my sister, Cathy. Her middle name,
Roeanna, was taken from our father's (missing) middle name. Are you
certain the clerk didn't forget to add it to YOUR birth certificate??? |
Submitted by John Bob Spiker --
We just got
back from Raleigh, North Carolina where I was elected to fight the SEBRA
(Southern Extreme Bullriding Association) Finals. Everything went great
and I was also elected Bullfighter of the Year. There is a little info
on 
Submitted by Paula Nolan -- Mike's son, Chris and Jenny had a
little girl, Alexis, in Phoenix. Since we are very short on girls, we
are particularly thrilled. Her big brother who is 11 is happy to finally
have a sibling.
Submitted by Melanie Fouse -- A new scrapbook page titled "Family
Faces" featuring Geneva, Kitty & Paula has been uploaded to the Spiker
Family Photo Album.