What surname to use on Wikitree for Jonas Stanton or Jonas S. Eyerly

Question

When starting my research on Louisa D. Gould, her husband was listed as Jonas Stanton. This is how I entered his surname.  It turns out he lied when he got married, and his real last name was Eyerly.  Does everyone think I should I make a correction to his last name on Wikitree to reflect his birth name - Eyerly or leave it as it is - as a Stanton? His records are a mixture of both last names. It was a mess to figure him out!!!!

Carrie

Comments

That's a difficult decision. I wonder what the circumstances were that caused Jonas to modify his name. Too bad his life was cut so short during the Civil War. Two of my ancestors also served out of Illinois in that war and fortunately were not casualties.

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I'm glad you agree that it's a difficult decision.

I'm tempted to leave him as Jonas Stanton, as that was the name he chose, and just leave the other documentation for his Civil War Records.  It is fortunate to make it out of the Civil War. Yes, 24 is a short life.  My gggrandfather,Edwin (Jonas' brother-in-law) also served out of Illinois and made it back from the war.

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How did you determine that his birth surname was Eyerly?

Do you have birth-related documentation to establish his birth surname?

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A nephew left a journal and in it he documented his aunt Louisa's difficulties in getting her widow’s civil war pension. He recorded she was able to draw her pension using the last name, Eyerly. I then found her pension record, with her listed as Louisa D. Eyerly. Than I found Jonas S. Eyerly’s military record on Illinois Civil War Muster at the Illinois State Archives. It confirmed that Jonas was from Belvidere, Illinois and provided his death date. This information agreed with the biography of Jonas Stanton contained in “History of Winona, Olmsted and Dodge Counties.” page 1166 (with his birth date). He was injured at Pea Ridge in the Civil War (serving in the IL 37th Infantry). I was then able to find him listed on the 1850 census with his parents. His brother Joseph’s marriage record, provided his mother’s maiden name. All of these sources are documented on his profile.

Answer 1

Technically, his last name at birth was Eyerly.

And in fact it looks like most records even through his death use Eyerly.  

Stanton would be an Other Last Name.

Then you explain it all in the bio.

Comments

Thanks Jillaine, I'll go ahead and change his last name. I guess that will make it easier for Eyerly researchers to find him.  

Thanks for looking through his profile and for the response.

Carrie