Remembering Rebecca Smith Bartley's Birthday

I have no photos, no personal memories, nor even memories of others, of my great-great-grandmother, Rebecca Smith Bartley, and so I know very little about her. Her birth date comes from a cousin's research and I haven't been able to confirm it's source--yet.

For the years 1850 through 1880, the official census date was June 1. The official census date was to have been used for all information given to the census taker. For example, if the census taker didn't arrive until July 1, and a child died or married between June 1 and July 1, but the child was alive and living with the family on June 1, he should have been recorded in the census with the family. Whether census takers and the people being recorded adhered to that it's often not possible to know.

In Rebecca's case, she was recorded as
-- 30 years old in the 1850 census which was taken on September 16, 1850
-- 40 years old in the 1860 census which was taken on June 17, 1860
-- 50 years old in the 1870 census which was taken on July 22, 1870, and
-- 59 years old in the 1880 census which was taken on June 2, 1880

If the census information was recorded based on the actual date the census was taken instead of the official census date of June 1, then the above information could suggest a birth date for Rebecca after June 2 and before June 17.

Rebecca was born and lived in Butler County, Pennsylvania throughout her life. According to a golden wedding anniversary newspaper article, she married Dixon Bartley on July 10, 1838, and was the mother of 13 children. Rebecca died on December 29, 1899.

I'm looking forward to learning more about this great-great-grandmother of mine. Happy Birthday, Gramma Bartley.