Spelling Pile – Pyle

Family names connect us to our ancestors. In our modern thinking, we want our surname to be unique and to be consistently spelled the same way. In genealogical research, we need to be open-minded about how our surnames are historically spelled.

My 3x great grandfather was Oscar Pile (1819-1902). He was a lifelong resident of Adair County, Kentucky and the father of eight children.

Why is Oscar’s surname spelled PYLE on his grave marker?
Let’s look at the historical spelling of Oscar’s surname.

Parents of Oscar Pile

Oscar’s father was John Pile and his mother was Patsey Allen. Their kinship is stated in the following court document. [Note the PILE spelling throughout.]

 Guardianship of the children of John Pile and Patsey Allen¹Adair County KY Court Minute/Order Book F, page 28. familysearch.org film 008685667, image20.

December 2nd 1833: On the motion of John Pile he is appointed guardian to Milton Pile, Oliver Pile, Oscar Pile, Thomas Pile & Clayton Pile, all of whom are his Children by his Marriage with Patsey Allen now deceased, he having executed and acknowledged bond in the penal sum of Fifteen hundred dollars with Clayton Miller & James Miller his securities conditioned as the law directs.

[In 1930, John Pile married a second time to Matilda Miller (sister of Clayton and James Miller, the securities in this bond). John and Matilda had children, so it was imperative to specifiy/document the lines of inheritance for Patsey Allen’s children, because she had property.]

Oscar Pile’s Marriages

1847 Marriage of Oscar Pile and Martha Susan Craig²Adair County KY Marriage Record/Minister’s Return. familysearch.org film 004544014, image298.

1853 Marriage of Oscar Pile and Margaret E. Craig³Adair County KY Marriage Book C, page 16. familysearch.org film 005560861, image 34.

1858 Marriage of Oscar Pile and Elizabeth Flowers, her mother, Juriah Flowers, consenting.⁴Adair County Ky Marriage Bond, page 327, familysearch.org film 005560861 image 468.

Look at Oscar’s signatures on the the last two marriage documents. I believe that the signatures are actually Oscar’s. Compare the signatures to the ways that his name is written on the first line. Oscar spelled his name PILE.

Deaths of Oscar and Elizabeth

Oscar PILE obituary
Adair County (KY) News, May 7, 1902, page 3

• In his Will, Oscar spelled his name PILE.⁵Will of Oscar Pile. Adair County KY Will Book M, page 85.
• When Oscar died, the newspaper spelled his surname PILE.
• All of Oscar’s children who married prior to his death, used the spelling: PILE.
• Elizabeth A. PILE and Oscar’s children sell the family farm in October 1902.⁶Adair County KY Deed Book 13, pp 327-329. familysearch.org film 008571810, image183.

Elizbeth PYLE Obituary, first portion
Adair County (KY) News, August 2, 1911, page 1

Just nine years later when Elizabeth died, the newspaper spelled her name PYLE.

Transitions to Pyle spelling

• 1905: Oscar’s daughter-in-law is mentioned in the Adair County News as Mrs. Allen PYLE.⁷Adair County (KY) News. June 28, 1905, page 5. “Miss Adaline Boyq. [Boyd] of Marion., Ky., is visiting her sister, Mr. Allen Pyle.”
• 1906: Oscar’s youngest daughter is mentioned in the newspaper as Miss Lorena Pyle.⁸Adair County (KY) News, page 5. “Miss Lorena Pyles visited in Campbellsville several days of last week.”
• 1907: Oscar’s son Allen PYLE buys the stock of Pierce Hardware Co.⁹“Firm Changed.” Crittenden Record Press (Marion, KY). March 14, 1907, page 4. “The Pierce Hardware Co., of Salem, has changed hands, having sold out their stock and business to Allen Pyle, of Logan county, Mr. Pyle is a son-in-law of Mr. Robt. Boyd, of Salem, and will take charge of the business just as soon as he can get moved. – Livingston Banner.”
• 1908: Oscar’s son William dies in Oklahoma. His tombstone is marked PYLE.¹⁰Find a Grave Memorial 22531886.
• 1910 Census: Elizabeth PYLE and her 2 daughters are enumerated together.¹¹U.S. Census. Kentucky, Adair County, Town of Columbia, part 2, SD 11, ED 15, sheet 5A, line 6, E. A. Pyle household.

Oscar and Elizabeth PYLE grave markers in the Columbia City Cemetery¹²Karrie Blees. Photograph of PYLE grave markers. in Columbia KY City Cemetery. July 26, 2014.

Why?

Why is Oscar’s grave marked PYLE? (His grave marker is not an exact match of Elizabeth’s. So it was likely made prior to hers. Perhaps it was made a few years after his death.)
No one knows why the family changed the spelling from Pile to Pyle.
The change seemed to begin after Oscar’s death.
Did they change the spelling to be unlike an embarrassing common malady?

Pyramid Drug Company Ad, 1906¹³Pyramid Drug Company “Awful Agony of Piles.” Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro KY). December 27, 1906, page 8.

SOURCES

• 1
  Adair County KY Court Minute/Order Book F, page 28. familysearch.org film 008685667, image20.
• 2
  Adair County KY Marriage Record/Minister’s Return. familysearch.org film 004544014, image298.
• 3
  Adair County KY Marriage Book C, page 16. familysearch.org film 005560861, image 34.
• 4
  Adair County Ky Marriage Bond, page 327, familysearch.org film 005560861 image 468.
• 5
  Will of Oscar Pile. Adair County KY Will Book M, page 85.
• 6
  Adair County KY Deed Book 13, pp 327-329. familysearch.org film 008571810, image183.
• 7
  Adair County (KY) News. June 28, 1905, page 5. “Miss Adaline Boyq. [Boyd] of Marion., Ky., is visiting her sister, Mr. Allen Pyle.”
• 8
  Adair County (KY) News, page 5. “Miss Lorena Pyles visited in Campbellsville several days of last week.”
• 9
  “Firm Changed.” Crittenden Record Press (Marion, KY). March 14, 1907, page 4. “The Pierce Hardware Co., of Salem, has changed hands, having sold out their stock and business to Allen Pyle, of Logan county, Mr. Pyle is a son-in-law of Mr. Robt. Boyd, of Salem, and will take charge of the business just as soon as he can get moved. – Livingston Banner.”
• 10
  Find a Grave Memorial 22531886.
• 11
  U.S. Census. Kentucky, Adair County, Town of Columbia, part 2, SD 11, ED 15, sheet 5A, line 6, E. A. Pyle household.
• 12
  Karrie Blees. Photograph of PYLE grave markers. in Columbia KY City Cemetery. July 26, 2014.
• 13
  Pyramid Drug Company “Awful Agony of Piles.” Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro KY). December 27, 1906, page 8.