Ranveg Jensdatter's birthdate?

[Merle Nostbakken]

https://digitalarkivet.no/census/search/1865/38223

 

https://digitalarkivet.no/en/search/76/6982

 

https://digitalarkivet.no/en/census/search/1875/52264

 

On Ranveg's tombstone in Iowa, USA, her birthdate is inscribed as 1867. The links above show that she supposedly was born 19 Nov 1866. The 1865 census gives her birthdate as 1866 and the 1875 census as 1868. Why would there be such discrepancies in the dates. Is there anything in the Norwegian culture or practise that would render birthdates as unimportant?

 

[Matthias Kolberg]

The primary record is the birth and baptism record, which shows she was born on November 19, 1865

https://goto.digitalarkivet.no/kb20070503650648

 

In the census of December 31, 1865, she would be about 6 weeks old, and the age 1 should be interpreted as «in her first year».

This is correctly calculated as 1865 in the transcribed census record

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/en/census/person/pf01038223000495
 

The census of 1875 lists her as born 1865, which is correct

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/en/census/person/pf01052264002877

Endret i går, 07:23 av Matthias Kolberg

[Matthias Kolberg]

There is another Ranveg Jensdatter born 16 October 1868

https://goto.digitalarkivet.no/kb20070503650658
 

She is listed as born 1868 in the 1875 census

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/census/person/pf01052264000150

Endret i går, 08:39 av Matthias Kolberg

[Matthias Kolberg]

Ranveig Jensdatter Gjerde born 1865 emigrated to the U.S. in 1884

https://www.digitalarkivet.no/en/view/557/pe00000000672252

 

No. 506

Bergen politikammer / politidistrikt, AV/SAB-A-60401/J.a/J.ab/L0001: Emigranter til Amerika, 1874-1885
Brukslenke for sidevisning: https://www.digitalarkivet.no/em20110223700307
 

[Matthias Kolberg]

The U.S. census 1900 incorrectly lists her birthdate as November 1867 (and age 32 in the original record)

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9KP-FKQ?lang=en

 

Name	Ranveg Peterson
Sex	Female
Age	33 years
Birth Date	November 1867
Birthplace	Norway
Marital Status	Married
Race	White
Number of Living Children	4
Years Married	9
Number of Children	4
Relationship to Head of Household	Wife
Father's Birthplace	Norway
Mother's Birthplace	Norway
Event Type	Census
Event Date	1900
Event Place	Blairsburg, Hamilton, Iowa, United States
Event Place (Original)	Blairsburg & Liberty Townships, ED 98, Hamilton, Iowa, United States
Household Identifier	104
Line Number	33
Sheet Letter	A
Sheet Number	6
Affiliate Publication Number	T623
Affiliate Name	The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)

 

[Matthias Kolberg]

Her parents Jens Torbjørnsen and Torbjør Mikkelsdatter are (almost) correctly identified in the marriage record from Illinois, and the age of 25 years old points correctly to 1865.

 

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KFVT-P8M?lang=en

 

Name	Rena James
Sex	Female
Age	25 years
Birth Year (Estimated)	1865
Birthplace	Norway
Marital Status	Single
Race	white
Event Type	Marriage
Event Date	1890
Event Place	Grundy, Illinois, United States
Source Details	It2,R1,p158,rn6493
Additional Relatives	X

 

Rena James's Parents and Siblings

OPEN ALL

Jens Torbjarnsen Father	M
Tarbjan Mikkelsen Mother	F

Endret 23 timer siden av Matthias Kolberg