Harold John Crowe's Date of Birth - A Research Log

This is me, still playing catch-up with my research logs, in an attempt to narrow the search for my great grandfather's birth date without the benefit of a true birth certificate.  If anyone sees anything I missed or any flaws in my analysis, please let me know.

Subject Name:  Harold John Crowe (Sr.), b. ?? d. 19 Sept 1971

Question to be researched:  When was Harold born?

Date of Search:  11.8.11

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Place Searched:  ancestry.com (1900 Federal Census, Perry Co., IN, Troy Township, ED ED number 116, Sheet 9B, dwelling 179, family 194, Herrold J. Crowe.)

Results:  “Herrold J.” is shown as 8/12 years old, born in Sep 1899 in Indiana.  Census taken on 9 Jun 1900.

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Place Searched:  Ancestry.com (1910 Federal Census, Spencer Co., IN, Ohio Township, ED ED number 84, p. 3B-4A, dwelling 72, family 74, Harold Crow.)

Results:  Harold is shown as 10 years old.  Census was taken on 18 Apr 1910, putting Harold’s birth date between 19 Apr 1900 and 17 Apr 1901.

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Place Searched:  ancestry.com (1920 United States Federal Census, Posey Co., IN, Ward 1, Black Twp., ED 50, p. 13A-B, lines 44-1, dwelling 325. family 344, Charles Crow.)

Results:  Harold is listed as age 20.  Census was taken on 13-14 Jan 1920, making his date of birth between 15 Jan 1900 and 12 Jan 1901.

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Place Searched:  ancestry.com (1930 Federal Census, Marion Co., IN, Center Township, ED number 49-402, p. 23A, dwelling 6, family 7, Harold Crowe.)

Results:  Harold is listed with his wife Lucille at age 30.  Census was taken on 22 Apr 1930, making his date of birth between 23 Apr 1900 and 21 Apr 1901.

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Place Searched:  ancestry.com (Harold Crowe Sr, no. xxx-xx-8788, "U.S. Social Security Death Index," ancestry.com.)

Results:  Harold Crowe Sr’s date of birth is given as 15 Sept 1899.

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Place Searched:  Harold John Crowe Sr, xxx-xx-8788, 1936, Application for Social Security Number, Social Security Administration.

Results:  Birth date is listed as 15 Sep 1899 for Harold John Crowe, Sr.

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Place Searched:  "Funeral Records," Harold J. Crowe; G.H. Hermann Funeral Home, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Results:  Shows Harold J. Crowe’s birth date as 15 Sep 1899.  The informant was Harold Crowe Jr.  A phone call with the woman at the funeral home revealed that the information for the funeral home records was copied directly from the death certificate.

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Place Searched:  Harold J. Crowe, Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis, Indiana, 20 September 1971, p. 31.

Results:  Obituary lists Harold J. Crowe as age 72.  He died on 19 Sept 1971, and the obituary was published on 20 Sep 1971.  This places his birth year in 1899.

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Place Searched:  (Male) Crow, Perry County, Indiana birth certificate no. 2014034 (15 September 1899)

Results:  Birth certificate shows a male child born to Charles Crow and Ida Gray on 15 Sep 1899.  I can only assume this is Harold.

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Analysis:  Census records as a whole are not reliable when it comes to exact dates.  His next oldest sibling is 2-1/2 years older, and his next youngest is 3 years younger.  Since the date on the birth certificate matches the date on his Social Security application, I am going to assume it is the same person.  That information also matches what was given in the funeral records.

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Conclusion:  Since I have 3 sources that agree with the birth date of 15 Sep 1899, I am going to assume this is correct.

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Next Steps:  I have requested his death certificate, but have not received it.  I have a feeling it will give exactly the same information that the records from the funeral home give.  I also requested his military records from WWI, but received a letter that the records were burned in the 1973 fire, so I am going to have to find a way to reconstruct them.