Maranda Snapp - When Was She Born?

Research note by Wesley Johnston - begun 25 Aug 2022, last updated 25 Aug 2022

https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/27355561/person/212405087688/media/0be98f0d-fbb2-49ca-8289-32fc3a0d1726

Conflicting Birth Dates

• The 26 Oct 1935 death record of Miranda (Snapp) Bullard gives her birthdate as 12 May 1859. The informant was Mrs. O. E. Campbell of 4444 College Avenue in Indianapolis who was her daughter Ida May Bullard. The image of this record is at https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/60716/images/45232_356174-02919
• Shortly after her death, her obituary in the 28 Oct 1935 issue of the Rushville (Indiana) "Republican" newspaper (page 8) stated that she was born 12 Nov 1858. I do not know who was the source of that date. The image of this record is at https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/27355561/person/212405087688/media/f8a183bf-6ded-4621-bc90-a54495412863 which is taken from Newspapers.com at https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/549346195/

So, when was she born?

No Record in the Nicholas County, Kentucky Birth List

Ancestry has the list of births for Nicholas County, Kentucky. Her sister Sarah Elizabeth Snapp's 15 Jan 1857 birth is listed ( https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1213/images/KYVR_994051-0033 image 17 of 194) on the page numbered 55 at the bottom right.

I have gone through all the pages from this record forward in time to 1860. The list does contain the following Snapp family entries, but it contains no entry for Miranda/Maranda Snapp.

• 15 Jan 1857 Sarah Elizabeth Snapp dau of George Snapp and America Smith (image 17)
• 6 Nov 1857 Jacob Snapp son of John Snapp and Harriett Mallocks (image 18)
• 20 Sep 1858 male child son of Willis Snapp and Emily Shaw (image 22)
• 1 Jan 1858 black female child of Samuel Snapp (black) and unspecified mother (image 22)
• The final image of 1859 is image 27, with the next image being 1876.

Tentative Conclusion

I am carrying her with the birthdate from her death certificate (12 May 1859) since we know the person who gave that information. The source of the obituary information remains unknown.