Yes, it has happened before.  My uncle is listed in the family Bible as:
Samuel Ulysses S. Grant Stoots.  He is known as James Stoots.  He wasn't
born by the 1930 census so I can't report how he was listed in census
records yet.  

 

My grandfather used his stepfather's name although he was not adopted.  So
he is listed in the census records of 1910, 1920 and 1930 as William or Will
M. Stoots.  I found his mother in the 1910 census with her son, listed as
Lizzie Stoots, widowed.  I finally found her in the 1900 census listed as
Lizzie Swaker, widowed, living with my grandfather in the home of another
family that I don't think is related to her.  Her death certificate gave me
her maiden name as Swacker.  I finally found her marriage certificate in a
neighboring county (not the ones in which my grandfather lived,  [he lived
on the border of 2 counties]).  His name was Burrell T. Foster.  He is never
listed in the census records with his second wife, Lizzie,  Swacker.  In
1880, he is living with his first wife and a son, William, who is 2.  That
is not my William as the child is too old based on the census of 1900, 1910,
1920 and 1930.  I think that not only his first wife, but also his first
son, William, died.  In 1900 and 1910 he is in a different STATE.  In 1900
he is listed as widowed and in 1910, he is married to his third wife.  In
other words, both my great grandfather and my great grandmother listed
themselves (or were recorded) as widowed instead of divorced in census
records.  But another interesting aspect of this family is that my
grandfather had an older sister, Leona, who stayed with her father and is
listed in the 1900 census with him.  

 

Cynthia McDaniel

 

From: Research and writing about Virginia genealogy and family history.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tuesday, March 15, 2011 9:48 AM
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Subject: Re: [VA-ROOTS] Wrong Records

 

I wonder if this happened more than a few times. When starting my .


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