Back in October, I wrote about Emeline M. Adams who supposedly married William Seonnig in Calais, Washington County, Maine. While I was at the Family History Library, one of my “to do” items was to check the FHL film of Vital Records, 1839-1911 for Calais, ME (FHL film #10,624) as I wanted a look for myself of the marriage Record for Emeline and Loring Bill (NOT William Seonnig). It was just as I suspected. The film was very clear and readable, except the “Loring” first name was so unusual, coupled with the equally unusual surname of “Bill” that I can see how his name was re-invented to William Seonnig. The cursive “L” did dip down like our cursive “S” of today.

Take a look for yourself:

Loring Bill-Emeline Adams Marriage Record
22 November 1866, Calais, Maine

I only clipped this one marriage off the original film, but every other groom on the page was listed by first name and then last name. As it turns out, “Loring Bill” was also listed the same way.

Loren and Emma, as they later called themselves, and their family were almost lost to history!

How would you have indexed this name?