When confused about a bit of handwriting on a page of script, look for any words on the page that can clearly be determined. On census pages after 1850, occupations and places of birth are great places to see examples of some letters where you clearly know what the word is. There may be first names that are easy to determine what they are. Then go back and look at that word you are having difficulty with.
For me in a recent difficult-to-read piece, there were numerous references to “keeping house,” so I learned how the enumerator made their “p”s. There were numerous references to “farmers,” so I knew how he made his “m”s. It’s not always possible to do this, but look at the whole page before jumping to conclusions about that bit of handwriting that is difficult to read.
Join Michael at the Mid-Continent Public Library’s Midwest Genealogy Center this October.
No responses yet