Spelling of Thomas Pendel's middle name ???

[ReignetteC]

Hello,

Is the correct spelling of Thomas Pendel's middle name Franses or Francis?

I have seen both spellings, but have not yet found any clarifying information on census records, etc.

(This unusual question pertains to a research project, and I wish to ensure accuracy. Thanks! )

[Steve]

I looked and I couldn't find anything which could provide an answer. All the signatures I could find of him just listed had his middle name written as "F." The Google Books images of the original 1902 edition of his book just has his name as "Thomas F. Pendel".

The only clue I could find is Pendel's namesake son's will, which was written in 1928, in which the son states and signs his full name as "Thomas Francis Pendel". But that doesn't necessarily mean the father used that middle name spelling. But if there are no documents from or connected to the father spelling his middle name as Franses that could be an indication.

My best suggestion as a course of action would be to obtain a full copy of Pendel's US-Mexican War pension record and see if he signed his full name on any of the documents. Of course he could've just signed everything with an "F." like his other signatures.

[David Lockmiller]

(10-28-2025 05:42 PM)Steve Wrote:  I looked and I couldn't find anything which could provide an answer. All the signatures I could find of him just listed had his middle name written as "F." The Google Books images of the original 1902 edition of his book just has his name as "Thomas F. Pendel".

The only clue I could find is Pendel's namesake son's will, which was written in 1928, in which the son states and signs his full name as "Thomas Francis Pendel". But that doesn't necessarily mean the father used that middle name spelling. But if there are no documents from or connected to the father spelling his middle name as Franses that could be an indication.

My best suggestion as a course of action would be to obtain a full copy of Pendel's US-Mexican War pension record and see if he signed his full name on any of the documents. Of course he could've just signed everything with an "F." like his other signatures.

Wow!

[ReignetteC]

(10-28-2025 05:42 PM)Steve Wrote:  I looked and I couldn't find anything which could provide an answer. All the signatures I could find of him just listed had his middle name written as "F." The Google Books images of the original 1902 edition of his book just has his name as "Thomas F. Pendel".

The only clue I could find is Pendel's namesake son's will, which was written in 1928, in which the son states and signs his full name as "Thomas Francis Pendel". But that doesn't necessarily mean the father used that middle name spelling. But if there are no documents from or connected to the father spelling his middle name as Franses that could be an indication.

My best suggestion as a course of action would be to obtain a full copy of Pendel's US-Mexican War pension record and see if he signed his full name on any of the documents. Of course he could've just signed everything with an "F." like his other signatures.

WOW! Thanks so very much! I appreciate your expertise and suggestion.

Kind regards!

[STS Lincolnite]

I second everything Steve said in his excellent post.

Spelling of an individual’s is always a difficult thing to confirm. It seems there wasn’t the same focus on a single, correct spelling in the past as there is now. Like Steve mentioned, the best way is to find an example of someone writing out their name for themselves. Examples like that can be hard to come by. Every example of a signature I have found from Pendel, he simply writes “F.”

Another record you may try as far as a signature is a marriage license. I have had some luck with those in the past. The problem being, the further back you go, the harder they are to find (especially online).

Other records that I find more reliable (though not always) are church records – baptism, confirmation, marriage, death. Even when not signed or written by the person in question, sometimes they are filled out by (or informed by) people who might be more in the know. Again, the further back you go, the more time it takes to track such records down if they even exist. And when they do exist, they are not always online. If you are able to find some of those records and there is consistency in spelling, that may at least be a clue to the correct spelling.

I appreciate your attempt to be accurate. I have had a similar issue with a project I have been working on off and on. In the end I just went with the middle initial because that's how he always signed his name and what I could confirm.

Good luck Reignette and let us know if you are able to track anything more down!

[Linda Anderson]

Thanks for your great advice, Steve and Scott.

Reignette, I found Thomas Francis Pendel (1824-1909) on FamilySearch. There are 18 sources on his home page. One of the sources is from the District of Columbia marriage records where his name is listed as "T F Pendel." Unfortunately, the image of the record of his marriage to Sarah A. Clementson is only available at a FamilySearch center or affiliate library. I do think it's worth checking out as the name listed is not always the same as the signature.

[ReignetteC]

(10-30-2025 07:26 AM)STS Lincolnite Wrote:  I second everything Steve said in his excellent post.

Spelling of an individual’s is always a difficult thing to confirm. It seems there wasn’t the same focus on a single, correct spelling in the past as there is now. Like Steve mentioned, the best way is to find an example of someone writing out their name for themselves. Examples like that can be hard to come by. Every example of a signature I have found from Pendel, he simply writes “F.”

Another record you may try as far as a signature is a marriage license. I have had some luck with those in the past. The problem being, the further back you go, the harder they are to find (especially online).

Other records that I find more reliable (though not always) are church records – baptism, confirmation, marriage, death. Even when not signed or written by the person in question, sometimes they are filled out by (or informed by) people who might be more in the know. Again, the further back you go, the more time it takes to track such records down if they even exist. And when they do exist, they are not always online. If you are able to find some of those records and there is consistency in spelling, that may at least be a clue to the correct spelling.

I appreciate your attempt to be accurate. I have had a similar issue with a project I have been working on off and on. In the end I just went with the middle initial because that's how he always signed his name and what I could confirm.

Good luck Reignette and let us know if you are able to track anything more down!

Thanks! I checked census records and Pendel's middle name is indicated with an "F."
Thanks also for your helpful suggestions.