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I have ancestor who variously appears as Ossiann, Ocean, and Oceanna on different vital records. It's been pretty confusing since vital records are supposed to be dependable, though these aren't the first mistakes I've seen. Anyway, I'm not sure which variation is accurate. She was born in 1835 in Illinois, USA. I have no information on her parents as her last name appears variously as Landsbury, Sandsbury, and Salisbury. She's near impossible to get information on.
So I recently found out that there is an Ossian, Indiana (pr. oh-see-AN) and just learned that there is also an Ossian, Iowa and Ossian, New York, as well as a Loch Ossian in Scotland. So the possibility that it was Ossian is there. And, if she verbally gave her name to someone, pronouncing it as it is pronounced in Indiana, they might have interpreted it as Ocean. Oceanna would have naturally followed from that.
My question is, has anyone encountered Ossian as a given name before or know anything about the possibility of it being used as a given name in 1835?
"A room without books is like a body without a soul." - Marcus Tullius Cicero
http://listography.com/Telfalathiel
http://telfalathiel.tumblr.com/
http://babynames.com/namelist/9415432
http://www.behindthename.com/pnl/71785
So I recently found out that there is an Ossian, Indiana (pr. oh-see-AN) and just learned that there is also an Ossian, Iowa and Ossian, New York, as well as a Loch Ossian in Scotland. So the possibility that it was Ossian is there. And, if she verbally gave her name to someone, pronouncing it as it is pronounced in Indiana, they might have interpreted it as Ocean. Oceanna would have naturally followed from that.
My question is, has anyone encountered Ossian as a given name before or know anything about the possibility of it being used as a given name in 1835?
http://listography.com/Telfalathiel
http://telfalathiel.tumblr.com/
http://babynames.com/namelist/9415432
http://www.behindthename.com/pnl/71785
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Replies
There are all kinds of crazy discrepancies like that in vital records. I come across them a lot doing geneology research, and sometimes it's because the person who wrote it down heard wrong or they weren't familiar with it so they just made up a spelling or whoever transcribed it later couldn't read the writing (or is just bad at reading).
Anyway, getting around to my point is I searched your ancestor on ancestry.com and found some stuff, some of which you could already know. But if you're not on ancestry I can PM you the stuff in case there's some you don't know. I found a picture of one of her daughters, for example. But man... she and her family were sure good at evading the census! Lame. (ETA: Aha, found them in the 1860 census!)
And back to Ossian's likeliness as a name, it's possible that was what her name really was since it's a place name, even though it's a masculine name. I've seen some people named some stuff in that time period! But her marriage record says her name was Ocean, so I'd take that to be most likely correct. If I just search for people named Ossian born around 1835, there are plenty of male ones.
Anyway, getting around to my point is I searched your ancestor on ancestry.com and found some stuff, some of which you could already know. But if you're not on ancestry I can PM you the stuff in case there's some you don't know. I found a picture of one of her daughters, for example. But man... she and her family were sure good at evading the census! Lame. (ETA: Aha, found them in the 1860 census!)
And back to Ossian's likeliness as a name, it's possible that was what her name really was since it's a place name, even though it's a masculine name. I've seen some people named some stuff in that time period! But her marriage record says her name was Ocean, so I'd take that to be most likely correct. If I just search for people named Ossian born around 1835, there are plenty of male ones.
This message was edited 11/6/2011, 12:22 PM
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I don't have a paid subscription to Ancestry, so I can't see pictures or other people's trees. I use Ancestry Library Edition at my library, which allows me access to census records, etc. I have a copy of her marriage record and the 1860 census that she's on. If you could send me anything else you have on her that would be great! If you can't send a picture via PM, my e-mail is listed on my profile. By the way, is the picture of Frances Lydia "Fannie" by any chance? She's the one I'm descended from, though I know Ocean/Ossiann had three daughters in total. TIA!
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Yep, it's of her. I don't think ancestry has anything you wouldn't have seen then. That sucks it's so hard to track down who her parents were! I'll email you what I can get from this lady who has her family tree all put up, who must be some distant (or maybe not so distant) relative of yours. (ETA: just saw your email address... she has the same last name as you--which btw is an awesome name--so you probably know who she is.) :)
I don't actually have a subscription to ancestry either, but my mom's cousin does and she lets me use her account. I am sooo thankful she does because I have gotten so much research done! It's such a great website.
I don't actually have a subscription to ancestry either, but my mom's cousin does and she lets me use her account. I am sooo thankful she does because I have gotten so much research done! It's such a great website.
This message was edited 11/7/2011, 2:18 PM
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I've only encountered it in lit classes, in relation to this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ossian
So I suppose it's perfectly possible it was then used as a name perhaps with a different spelling?
So I suppose it's perfectly possible it was then used as a name perhaps with a different spelling?
This message was edited 11/6/2011, 10:49 AM
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