Names in documents should be transcribed as they are written. But when writing about a person it’s easier for the reader (and the writer) to pick one spelling for a name and use it in every reference. I’m fighting that with a native of Ostfriesland, Germany, named Baltser Herren. His name is spelled numerous ways in a variety of mid-19th century documents in Illinois. But, I’ve decided to stick with Baltser Herren when writing about him. Herren because the family in the area tended to favor that spelling and Baltser because that’s the way I’ve seen it written most frequently. And if I need to ever change the spelling in my writing, “find and replace” works much easier when you’ve consistently spelled a name in all your references […]
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