The Journal of the Commons House of Assembly

822INDEX1. Names of members of the Commons House are marked with asterisks.2. Personal names in general are entered according to the spellingfound most frequently in the text, except in the case of well-known or easilyidentified persons whose names are misspelled by the clerk.3. Abbreviated forenames of persons are given in full unless the name forwhich the abbreviation stands is doubtful. Names of persons lacking surnamesare entered with an identifying phrase (e.g., Pharis, slave of Samuel Wells).4. Military titles and titles of courtesy are omitted unless they are necessary(a) to distinguish between persons of identical names, (b) as an aidin the identification of a person whose forename cannot be supplied, (c) toidentify a little-known military or naval officer in regular service, and (d) toidentify a married woman referred to only by her husband’s name. Othertitles (e.g., Dr.) are retained.5. Geographic names are entered according to the modern spellingfavored by the U.S. Board of Geographic Names, except in cases where themodern form would be an anachronism (e.g., Charles Town).6. Common names are entered according to an accepted conventionalspelling—either a recognizable archaic form closest to the one used in thejournal (e.g., gaols) or the modern form.7. In the case of most civil offices (e.g., public treasurer), entries areincluded both for the office and the name of the officeholder. Cross-referencesare provided from each entry to the other unless the page referencesare identical.8. The names of vessels and the titles of contemporary publications aregiven in italics.9. Only those committees that have the character of standing committeesor serve as continuing committees on special business are entered, butall page references to each of these—rather than cross-references to thepapers produced by them—are recorded.The letter-by-letter mode of alphabetization has been used throughout,except in the case of subentries under bills and concurrent resolutions, whichfollow a historical sequence. Multiple cross-references under written papersare not alphabetized, but are listed in chronological order as a further aidto the user.