Gervase Hazleton, Hazleton, Indiana Spelling Variance at Wikipedia

Question

My in-laws have an ancestor, Gervase Hazleton, of Hazleton, Indiana. His first name has an "e" at the end. One of the reference sources that Wikipedia used regarding Mr. Hazleton, also spelled the first name without the e ending.

How can this variation in spelling be changed at Wikipedia be changed to include the e?

Comments

EARLY HAZLETON, INDIANA - INGenWeb

www.ingenweb.org/ingibson/CountyHistories/EARLY%20HAZLETON.htm

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Whatever his reason, the people of Hazleton are indebted to him for giving to them .... Andrew Cunningham was the pioneer of that family in the Indiana Territory ...... Gervase Hazleton founder of the town, was born in Illinois in 1827, married ...

Gervase Hazleton - Ancestry.com

search.ancestry.com/.../sse.dll?...Gervase...Hazleton...

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Ancestry.com Inc.

All results for Gervase Hazleton ... Gibson, Indiana. Attached To: Gervase Hazleton (born 1827) ... Taken: 1874 - Hazleton, Gibson County (Gibson), Indiana.

Hazelton Cemetery - Gibson County, Indiana - Interment.net

www.interment.net › United States › Indiana › Gibson

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White River Township, Gibson County, Indiana. SW-1/4 ... Hazleton, Gervase, b.30 Jan 1827, d.10 Aug 1890, Founders of Hazleton, Indiana 1856, [MR]

Hazleton, Indiana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazleton,_Indiana

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Wikipedia

Hazleton is a town in White River Township, Gibson County, Indiana, United States. ... It was named in honor of Gervas Hazleton, the second settler in the county to permanently locate, after John Severns.Hazleton first lived in a "camp," the ...

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Frank,

It's possible that on some original source, the "e" was dropped. If whatever is on wikipedia is citing an actual source, that may be why it was spelled that way. When we quote an original source, we should always use the spelling and wording and phrasing that the original source used.

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There are many other sources that have the e. We have a large portrait of my wife's ancestor in our posession and on that portrait, his first name is spelled with an "e." Three generations of Hazletons spelled the first name the same way.

I had an experience with a spelling issue on one of my ancestors whose first name was Frederick and it was incorrectly documented as Fordwick. I was able to find a source that had it spelled correctly, so the record was corrected.

Your point is well taken. Wikipedia Mr. Hazleton's first name in a book and assumed that the book had it right.

Answer 1

Here are some additional sources to add to your list.  I'd say that the preponderance of evidence suggests the spelling is GERVASE.  As a bonus, you've got some great sources to add to the profile, rather than relying on Wikipedia.

• 1850 census:  Gervise Hazleton  (but we know how inaccurate spelling on census records can be)
• Combined History of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash Counties, Illinois (free ebook) - Gervase Hazleton
• Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society - (free ebook) - Gervase Hazleton
• photo of tombstone - Gervase Hazleton
• Congressional Series of United States Public Documents, Volume 56 - Gervase Hazleton
• Legends and Lore of Southern Illinois - Gervase Hazleton

You can contact Wikipedia at at info-en@wikimedia.org, refer to the article, and list your sources so they can cite them.  I'd skip the Ancestry reference, since we know how inaccuracies can be generated as people copy incorrect information to multiple trees without verification.

Comments

Very helpful. Thank you.

Answer 2

Most writers would spell it Gervase irrespective of how it was spelt at the time.  Proves nothing.

Comments

It was spelled Gervase at the time. His father had the same name as did one of his sons. With all the mistakes that are copied over and over, it's better to have a minor mistake corrected than to ignore it.