While conducting some research on the Saxton family today, I found a record that I couldn’t resist sharing . I’ve written before about the baptisms of Ada May Gibson Saxton and her sons, and the record I found today on Ancestry.com is the 1910 US Federal Census Record for the family of Ada May’s son Willard Olds Saxton.
Willard Olds Saxton was born on 04 Aug 1884 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., Utah . Maryann Jane Thomas was born on 01 Apr 1887 in Mahanoy City, Schuylkill Co., Pennsylvania . The two were married on 28 May 1907 . Their first child, Ada Saxton, was born on 23 Mar 1908 in Salt Lake City and died the same day . Their second child, Myrtle Rosemond Saxton, was born in Salt Lake City on 14 Apr 1910.
The enumerator for the 1910 US Federal Census visited Willard Saxton’s household on 19 Apr 1910 and followed the instructions to enumerate all those living in the household on 15 Apr 1910 . Myrtle Rosamod Saxton qualified to be included in the 1910 Census by virtue of a single day!
US Federal Census Record for the Willard Saxton Family – 1910
The 1910 US Federal Census Records recorded:
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Willard Saxton, head of household, male, color white, age 25, married for the first time 3 years earlier
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Mary Ann Saxton, wife, female, color white, age 23, married for the first time 3 years earlier, mother of 2 children, 1 still living
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Baby unnamed Saxton, daughter, female, color white, age 0/12 [zero twelfths of a year], single
But the really interesting part of the record was the information supplied by Ancestry.com in the census index:
Index to the 1910 US Federal Census on Ancestry.com
The Ancestry.com index lists the age of Baby Saxton Unamed (Myrtle Rosemond Saxton)Â as 26 years old!
Granted, without any additional information, the age of the baby in the original census record is difficult to read . Poor Myrtle probably rolled over in her grave when Ancestry.com listed her age as 26, when she was but a single day old!
Ancestry.com allows customers to suggest alternate names in the census indexes, but doesn’t allow any other suggestions regarding the information in the indexes . Ancestry.com will also not remove any inaccurate transcriptions from the indexes . Myrtle will have to remain in the index as being born fully grown and older than her parents.
NOTE (23 Jul 2016): Ancestry.com now allows corrections to the estimated birth year of those named in the 1910 census. Her correct age and birth year have been added, although the incorrect age and birth year remain in the index in parentheses.
Copyright © 2007 by Stephen J. Danko
This is interesting. Poor Myrtle! A classic reminder that errors are made! It is a shame that you can’t add the notes on the birth information as you can with the names, may be a good point for Ancestry to think about!