Congratulations to Marjorie on finding Udelsons in the ALD! It is always
exciting to find a name one thought was unique was actually used by real
people.

But that is the warning I want to make--names that sound unique to our
modern ears were actually common in the old country.

Udelson/Yudeson/Judelson/Edelson are all variants of Yudelevitz which
derives >from "son of Yudel" which is as common as Johnson is in America. I
have records for 4 Mordechai Yudelevitz that are unrelated, and two are
unrelated Mordechai Elihuvitch Yudelevitz.

I am especially aware of this situation now because I have been asked to
look for Mollie Edelson (born about 1895 in Russia) who placed her daughter
with the New York Foundling home in 1915. I have a Mollie Edelson in my
tree, but I believe that there were at least two Mollie Edelsons. If you
know any, please contact me.

When you do research, be sure to keep track of your sources and evaluate
the evidence carefully!

Peggy Mosinger Freedman
great-granddaughter of Max Yudelson >from Jonava, Lithuania and Greensboro,
Georgia
granddaughter of Anne Yudelson of Atlanta, Georgia