In a message dated 4/22/2003 12:04:50 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
Plattshirl(a)aol.com writes:
>There is a discrepancy in the date of birth of Dr. Stephen H.
Brittain.
The
>date of publication of the obituary was 22 Oct 1904, and the obit stated
>that he was age 72 at the time of his death, which would mean that he was
>born about 1832. However, the tombstone inscription shows that his date
of
>birth was 1836. Which do you think is more likely to be correct? An
>obituary or a tombstone inscription?
For that time period...the best would be a Bible record of his birth.
Lacking that, I would go with a census record of him in 1850 to give me the
closest date.
Everything else is supposition....only as good as the informant (that goes
for census too).
Death records, tombstones and obituaries are made by children and inlaws that
are often mis-informed.
In the 1880 census he says he's 45...so he would have been born in 1834 or
35...depending on the month of his birth.
<A
HREF="http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/census/individual_recor...
H. BRITTAIN</A> Self M Male W 45 IN Physician
IN IN
<A
HREF="http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/census/individual_recor...
A. BRITTAIN</A> Wife M Female W 37 IN Keeping
House KY VA
<A
HREF="http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/census/individual_recor...
K. BRITTAIN</A> Dau S Female W 15 IN Home IN
IN
<A
HREF="http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/census/individual_recor...
K. BRITTAIN</A> Son S Male W 7 IN Home IN
IN
Source Information:
Census Place Perry, Martin, Indiana
Family History Library Film <A
HREF="http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainfr...
NA Film Number T9-0298
Page Number 348D
In the 1870 census he says he's 35.....consistent with 1834/35 birthdate.
Brittain Stephen A? 35 IN Loogootee 392
Brittain Elizabeth A 24 IN Loogootee 392
Brittain Laura R? 5 IN Loogootee 392
Michele