What's in a Name? PART 2

Back in March of 2011 I wrote a post titled "What's in a Name?" in which I said "For all of my life I knew my grandmother as "Jane Pendley".  On doing a little digging, however, it is clear that as a baby and young child she was known as "Jean" or "Jennie" rather than Jane".

What I did not go into for that particular post was Grandmother's middle name:  Hibbard.  For years I have wondered where that name came from.  Ages ago I had made a note to look for an "Aunt Ida Hibbard", but I never did find her and I no longer have a clue where that tip may have come from.  So the mystery remained.

Then today I received the following email from my sister, Sharon Mott:

"Ok, I have a theory about Grandma Pendley's name.

We know that she was actually called JEAN HIBBARD HUTCHINSON as a child.  she was even referred to as Jean in the newspaper announcement of her marriage to Frank.

Coconino Sun in Flagstaff Arizona 3 Dec 1921

She signs her name as "Jane" on her voter's registration in the late 1940's.  Who knows, maybe she felt it was a more "grown up" name.  But where did the Hibbard come from?  I haven't found it as a family name yet.

But today I saw something that seems plausible.

In 1895 her father, ASC "Charles" Hutchinson was listed by the Dept of Interior working as a Carpenter for the Otoe Indian Agency in Oklahoma Territory.  Scanning the rest of the page I found the Carpenter's Apprentice listed as none other than a First Nation man by the name of HIBBARD JEANS.

In 1903 Charles and Edith name their daughter Jean Hibbard Hutchinson.  It could be a coincidence, but I doubt it.  What do you think?

P.S. in 1897 Charles is still working for the Indian Agency, but Hibbard is now listed as Indian Police.

HOLY TOMATOES, what a find!  I'm grinning from ear to ear.

I'm excited as could be about learning this tidbit of family trivia.  It tells me more about my great grandparents, to know they had sufficient affection and respect for this man to name their daughter after him.  They were not bigots. 

I'm very proud of my sister for how she has developed research skills in recent years, and have so enjoyed sharing my love of family history with her.  She has been a treasure to me in so many ways.  This just adds the icing on the cake.

Well done, Sharon.  Very well done, indeed!