The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #153609   Message #3598362
Posted By: Ebbie
04-Feb-14 - 04:23 PM
Thread Name: BS: Bible people
Subject: RE: BS: Bible people
The Amish use a system of identification that I have not seen anywhere else: When they speak of a woman they use the husband's name and then the wife's, like 'Will Anna' and 'Mose Sarah' and 'Sam Wilma'.

In the more populous areas of Amishdom, they use middle initials in addition. For instance, a sister in law of mine has an uncle who is 'Clemons C. B. Miller' while another one may be just 'Clemons Miller' or even 'Clemons C. Miller'.

It works for them- Amish oral histories are fairly coherent.