Gertrude Faye Lybarger Becker

My grandmother, always called Kathryn or Catherine by family, was never named those choices. Her Becker sons used to argue, quite heatedly, how to spell her name with a C or with a K. One day, in my genealogy research, I went to the Albion Indiana courthouse to obtain copies of her marriage records and I discovered that her name was actually "Gertrude Faye Lybarger." Then I showed the copy of her marriage license to the Becker men, to let them know their arguments were in vain because she never was a C or a K or Catherine or Kathryn. My dad, Kent said, "Why, I knew that!! And I remarked," Like hell you did!"

Later, I phoned the Ohio county where she was born, and I spoke to the County Clerk. She told me that Grandma (Lybarger) Becker was not reported as being born until she was a year old, and that yes, her correct name was Gertrude Faye. My great Uncle Ed, Grandma's brother told me that the family just gave her a nickname of Kit, Kittie, and Kathryn/Katherine but it was never her legal name. After that, the Becker boys didn't dispute her name any longer.