What's in a name.

My grandmother, Lillian Bowlsby Tannahill, always said that her mother's name was Melissa Jane Thompson. but we never saw anything that could prove it.  As I started to search the census'. this is what I found.  In the 1850 Census for Butler County, Michigan I found this:

Here she is listed as Lucy.  Then in the 1860 Census I found this:

Here she is listed as Melissa J.  Then in the 1870 Census I found this:

Here she is listed as Jane.  So here was my conclusion, Melissa Jane Thompson was the right name.  I learned that you cannot only take one Census record.  You must check all of them because it seems like names change over the years.

She had Bowlsby relatives who lived nearby and would get together often with them. They also had Uncle Oscar Thompson who was Melissa Jane’s brother.   In the picture on the right, seated in the front is Uncle Oscar,  Lydia Luella is next to him.  Lillian is in the back. Irene and Glen Ray Tannahill complete the back row.