When you find a family member and the name is misspelled or the birth date is off a little, please keep in mind that although people strive for correctness, sometimes errors are made.   If you find family members from your Tree of Family....be glad!

Everyone makes mistakes and there were many opportunities on the 1870 Census for errors to be made.
 1. The families often used different spelling from today or if they did not read and write, may not have known correct spelling....if it is close, be glad!

 2. The Enumerator, the Census Taker, wrote what he thought the name was or he had his own version of a name such as Martha was spelled Mothy or Elizabeth was Liser. If he is anywhere close, be glad! 

 3. There was one handwritten Original Census done by the Enumerator (Census Taker)  and two handwritten copies, 3 copies total,  each with lots of opportunity for errors and misinterpreting of handwriting. Evidently there were 3 Census books and it is not clear which one ended up in Washington, D.C.  Therefore, we do not know if we are looking at THE original or a copy of it on the Microfilm.  Most of the other two copies were lost or destroyed.  If you find your family, even if spelled badly, be glad!

 4.  Transcribing the Census from the microfilm is not easy. Many pages are very faint, especially those that were done in blue ink. I did the best I could, but I am human, I apologize for any errors you find.  If in doubt, please check the microfilm for yourself.....then be glad that I did all the work.

I may not have interpreted the correct spelling of all the names, however, every single person has been accounted for on the Census, no one has been left off. There were times when I knew the correct spelling of a name but I put what the microfilm said to keep the "as is" historical significance.  

A laugh a day really does keep the Doctor away.  My husband does quarterly electives for his Middle School students. By request, they are doing Genealogy on the Web this quarter.  After the first day, finding many of her family members using the Web, one 6th grader said,  "But I didn�t find all of my family TODAY."  Smile!! 

Searching for family is a lifetime Mystery and Puzzle all wrapped up together. Just when you get the answers figured out on one branch of the Family Tree, new questions arise on another branch.  Asking, "Now who were Great grandmother's people on her mother's side?" opens the door to another Genealogy Quest....be glad!