[DeBandi]

Originally Posted by LewisNClark

If you can access a local public library that has copies of the census journals (they're normally on microfis) you can get a wealth of info about misspellings of last names and quick family trees. Can't remember when the census started,

Most or your and my ancestors earlier than 1860/1870's had very limited literacy. Many also changed the spelling of names but made no legal record of it at their court house.

Also you will probably be surprised when doing a google search for "name grave Alabama", etc. Many 1800 cemetery's inventory can be found on google. Not sure yet but the cemetery above may have been a black cemetery, lots of the really remote cemeteries were for poor blacks.

LnC
Below is a link to a list of cemeteries in AL and last names of inventory by last names in a PDF file. Spelling is normally more accurate since it often originated from census records.

http://alabamamaps.ua.edu/cartlab/pu.../historic2.pdf

Thanks LnC...