On This Day: April 1

In 1822, my maternal 2^nd great-grandfather James Henry Burton was born to Samuel Burton and Amelia (Millie) Cook. The death certificate says he was born in West Virginia, but West Virginia did not become a state until the Civil War; it is likely he was born in Virginia.  He died August 19, 1901, in Stowe Prairie Township, Todd County, Minnesota. [Source: Todd County, Minnesota, death certificate no. C-8-45 (1901), James H. Burton; Todd County Recorder's Office, Long Prairie.] The death certificate gives his “Date of Birth” as “79yrs 4mos 18yrs” (pretty sure that it should say 18 days!). Using this information and his date of death, I was able to calculate his date of birth.

© 2011 Denise Spurlock