[Dixielandjazz] Re: Given ("christian") names - Bix vs Bismark

[norrie.thomson]

Anton

In the Prologue, Page 17, Sudhalter explains why Bix was named 'Bix'. His
father was called Bismark Herman Beiderbecke and known to the family as
'Bix', this being the diminutive of Bismark. At page 23, Bix's sister is
quoted as saying that the correct namne was Leon Bix.

The copy birth certificate at page 26 was produced on January 30, 1963 and
signed by the Clerk to the District Court of Scott County.  Unless this
certificate is a forgery, I would assume that it is correct and that,
indeed, Baix was 'Bix' and not Bismark. I will accept the evidence given by
Sudhalter until such time as anyone can prove him wrong.




Norrie


Norrie Thomson
Edinburgh
Scotland
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anton Crouch" <a.crouch at unsw.edu.au>
To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>;
<norrie.thomson at btopenworld.com>; <maurice.walker at gwl.com>
Sent: Friday, February 28, 2003 5:49 AM
Subject: Given ("christian") names - Bix vs Bismark


>
> Hello Norrie and Maurie
>
> Let's all stand and pause, before deciding who's correct.
>
> My view is that there is no doubt that our Leon was called "Bix" from
birth
> and was probably so christened. The problem is that the published evidence
> for the name given at the registration of birth is not 100% conclusive.
>
> We all know the reproduction of the birth certificate on page 26 of
> Sudhalter and Evans (no doubt about "Leon Bix Beiderbecke") but that is a
> 1963 document. Who among us has seen the original? (Book 6, page 24 of the
> birth records of Scott County, State of Iowa).
>
> Just being the devil's advocate   :-)
>
> All the best
> Anton
>
> PS:  My favorite jazz name is Alonzo Crumby, a drummer who played with
> Brownlee's Orchestra of New Orleans in the 1920s.
>
>
>