Person:Justina Parker (1)

Spelling of Names

"For some reason, we have never been able to get excited over this question, and although our own name has often been misspelled, we refuse to believe that any personal slight was intended. Recently one of our correspondents (not a subscriber) took us to task because on page 478 we stated that Peter Curtis married Justina Parker, whereas the lady's name was really Chestina. We answered mildly, that we supposed Chestina to be a corruption of Justina, and that the latter was the standard spelling. He then informed us that we were likely to lose any genealogical reputation we might ever have had if we changed the spelling of names as given in records to suit our whim; that Chestina was born, married, and died under that name, and that her descendants would laugh at us if they saw her name so disguised. So we made a special trip to the Probate Court, and just as we had dimly remembered it, her father's will spelled her name Justina. We sent our correspondent the reference to volume and page, and hinted that her descendants might 'laugh that off' if they could, but he has never rewarded us for our trouble by even an acknowledgment. So we have made a vow to be drawn into no more discussions about disputed spellings; they are usually of slight importance, and they never lead anywhere. If you don't like the way we have spelled your name, we apologize and ask you to overlook it."^[2]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Parker, in Jacobus, Donald Lines. Families of Ancient New Haven. (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1974)
   6:1368.

   "Justina ('Chestina') (Parker), b 18 Apr 1714 (Wallingford Vital Records), d 15 Feb 1777 (Simsbury); …"

2. ↑ At the Editor's Desk, in Jacobus, Donald Lines. Families of Ancient New Haven. (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1974)
   3:768.