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Archiver > Scotch-Irish > 1997-05 > 0862617815


From: William McMahon <>
Subject: Re: GAELIC SURNAMES/SPELLING
Date: Fri, 2 May 1997 19:03:35 -0500 (CDT)


At 10:12 PM 5/1/97 +0000, Lee Fuell wrote:
>Bill,
>
>Linda Merle posted a good explanation of spelling changes earlier
>today, but to summarize: Until rather recently, name spelling was
>pretty much optional, and a lot of semi-literate or illiterate folks
>(no offense, most of my ancestors were illiterate) had no idea how
>to spell their names, so when a census taker or parish register
>clerk or whatever recorded the name, they just wrote it down however
>they thought it should be spelled based on the sound. ---snip----
-------------------snip--------------------

Lee,

Thank you for your reply. I realize the degree of literacy had much to
do with the way names were spelled. I have illiterate ancestors as well,
but all indications are, these knew enough to read an write and even
compose a petition to the VA governor (the grandson of the man below).There
were a number of Presbyterians in Winchester and among them was this William
McMechen/McMachen (McMahon). Of course in this period, many Scotch-Irish
were Presbyterians and this William and a number of men purchased two acres of
land "near the Presbyterian Meeting house" for a burying ground. One might
assume that a community of Scotch-Irish were in Winchester and that their
English was "laced", to some extent< with Gaelic. With this in mind, I should
reword my question more clearly:

"How would one spell McMahon in Gaelic?"
"Would it resemble McMechen/McMachen/etc?"

I would appreciate any thoughts on this question.

Bill

RESEARCHING: McMAHON COX LOVELESS MACHEN BYERLY BRUCE ETC.
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