Re: Whitesell, Peter F. in VA
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In reply to:
Re: Whitesell, Peter F. in VA
Milton Whitesell 2/18/03
The Whitesells who lived in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia were given various spellings for their names in that time period.I agree that the spelling Whitesell appeared in records right there in Rockingham County fairly early.There were probably two different batches of Whitesells and a Whetzel or Wetzel family in that area.As our Whitesells moved to new areas, a whole new batch of clerks and recorders had to figure out how to spell the name.Some of Peters descendants to this day spell their name Whytsell, Whitezel, and Whitesellwith one or two l's.It is hard to pinpoint a date when these spellings got fully adopted.I wish there were lots of family bibles out there to show how the families thought the name should be spelled.My theory is that the name was supposed to start with a "why" sound not a "wet" sound.
I don't have Johann Paul Weitzel as the father of our Peter because I think that the son of Johann Paul who was know as Peter Weitzel never left Lancaster, but he and Anna Metz lived and died there.I can't seem to find the source of the information that makes the link.Where did you first find that info?
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Re: Whitesell, Peter F. in VA
Randy Whitesell 8/11/03