Three Grandmothers with the Same Birthday

It's easy to say that something is against the odds, but how do you determine the odds?

I've read about statistics that once you get something like 50 people together in one place, it's almost guaranteed that two of them will have the same birthday.  (I've read it, but I still don't understand it.)  But what about when you're dealing with only two or three people?  The odds have to be much lower, right?

Yet low odds are not impossible odds.

For our example here, we have my half-sister, Laurie.

We have the same father, so we share a paternal grandmother.  Anna Gauntt was born January 14, 1893.

Laurie's maternal grandmother, Louise Elsie Gaynor, was born January 14, 1903.

Okay, all you statisticians out there, can we figure out the odds of that happening?

But I'll go one step further.

Our paternal grandfather married twice after living with our grandmother.  His third wife, to whom he was married before I was born, and who can reasonably be called our stepgrandmother (my mother certainly always told me to call her Grandma), was Adelle Cordelia Taylor.  And she was born January 14, 1914.

What are the odds on that particular situation?  I certainly don't know.  Maybe our brother or sister-in-law can figure it out.  They're the mathematicians in the family.  Which I realize is not the same as a statistician, but it's the closest we have.

So today, on January 14, I'll wish a happy birthday in heaven to three of my sister's grandmothers.

This is the type of thing I noticed while going through a year's worth of births, marriages, and deaths in my family.

Family historians are a strange breed.

Events in My Family Tree: December 19

Jennie Kardish died on her nephew Louis' 39th birthday.

Births

John Gaunt, son of Samuel Gaunt and Achsah Taylor, was born December 19, 1794 in Pilesgrove Township, Salem County, New Jersey.  He is my 2nd cousin 5x removed via the Gaunts.

Lulu May Sherman was born December 19, 1882 in Portland, Jay County, Indiana.  She was married to Walter Clayton Gaunt, son of Arthur Lee Gaunt and Rachel Lavinia Stutsman, who is my 4th cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.

Louise Henrietta Smith was born December 19, 1885 in New York City, New York.  She was married to William James Bowen, son of William H. Bowen and Mary, who is the half-granduncle of my half-sister Laurie Sellers and her half-sister Shanyn James.

Samuel Allen Vanaman, son of Charles Milton Vanaman and Julia Ann Gaunt, was born December 19, 1892 in Vincentown, Burlington County, New Jersey.  He is my half 2nd cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.

Louis Kardish, son of Itzak Kardish and Shirley Bordelay, was born December 19, 1953 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  He is my 2nd cousin 1x removed on my Gorodetsky line through the Kardishes.

Raquel Margot Francis was born December 19, 1971.  She is married to Jason Christopher Ellis, who is my 2nd cousin 1x removed.

Marriage

Myra Roslyn Meckler, daughter of Abram Meckler and Lillyan E. Gordon, and Richard Wesley Preuss were married December 19, 1977 in Villa Tasso, Walton County, Florida.  Myra is my mother.

Deaths

Emma Gaunt, daughter of George Horner Gaunt and Emily A. Miller, died December 19, 1870 in Gloucester County, New Jersey at the age of 7.  She is my 4th cousin 3x removed via the Gaunts.

William H. Bowen, son of John Bowen and Martha Baden(?), died December 18, 1910 in South Orange, Essex County, New Jersey.  He is the great-grandfather of my half-sister Laurie Sellers and her half-sister Shanyn James.

Norma Marguerite Prusso died December 19, 1982 in Shasta County, California.  She was married to Walter Everett Gaunt, son of James Knox Polk Gaunt and Sarah Naomi Boone, who is my 3rd cousin 3x removed via the Gaunts.

Jennie Kardish, daughter of Dovid Kardish and Etta Gorodetsky, died December 19, 1992, probably in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  She is my 1st cousin 2x removed on my Gorodetsky line.

Wordless Wednesday

 

Events in My Family Tree: August 24

For all the marriages, I'm related to only the grooms, not any of the brides.

Births

Elsie Meckler, daughter of Morris Mackler and Minnie Zelda Nowicki, was born August 24, 1919 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York.  She is my grandaunt.

Stanley Earnest Taylor, son of Pearson R. Taylor, Jr. and Grace Elizabeth Easlick, was born August 24, 1928 in Burlington County, New Jersey.  He is my 4th cousin on my Gauntt line through the Easlicks.

Gavin Ryan Kushner was born August 24, 1990.  He is my 4th cousin once removed.

Adam Joseph Brainin was born August 24, 1996.  He is my 3rd cousin.

Marriages

Redden N. Gaunt, son of Joseph Gaunt and Phoebe Emily Severn, and Pauline E. Smoot/Smuck were married August 24, 1843 in Jay County, Indiana.  Redden is my 2nd cousin 4x removed via the Gaunts.

Charles Robert Harris, son of Robert Miller Harris and Blanche Gaunt, and Loretta Brocking were married August 24, 1918 in Peru, Miami County, Indiana.  Charles is my 4th cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.

Russell Roberts Allen, son of George N. Allan and Ada E. Mason, and Estella A. Horner were married August 24, 1924, probably in Burlington County, New Jersey.  Russell is my 4th cousin once removed on my Gauntt line through the Allens.

Events in My Family Tree: June 11

More marriages than births, and twice as many marriages as deaths?  It must be June!

Births

Ruth Carrie Stradling, daughter of Charles Cooper Stradling and Anna Gauntt, was born June 11, 1914 in Mount Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey.  She is my paternal half-aunt.

Logan Benjamin Thackeray, son of Logan Thackeray and Virginia Steele, was born June 11, 1924 in Salt Creek, Decatur County, Indiana.  He is my 5th cousin 2x removed on my Gauntt line through the Thackerays.

Raven Clarence Taylor was born June 11, 1994.  He is my 3rd cousin once removed.

Marriages

Thomas Bosarth and Rosanna Gaunt, daughter of David H. Gaunt and Eliza/Lydia Anderson, were married June 11, 1895 in Pemberton, Burlington County, New Jersey.  Rosanna is my half 2nd cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.

Hananiah Selah Gaunt, son of Hananiah Selah Gaunt and Abigail Atkinson, and Louise A. Hendricks Jones were married on June 11, 1901, probably in New Jersey.  Hananiah is my great-great-granduncle.

Ora Myron Gaunt, son of David Clinton Gaunt and Martha Sophronia Hartman, and Pearl Deeter Hittle were married June 11, 1966.  Ora is my 4th cousin 2x removed via the Gaunts.

Bruce Oliver Ellis, son of Russell Oliver Ellis and Irene Elise Crater, and Mary Catherine Ferraro were married June 11, 1988 in Stirling, Morris County, New Jersey.  Burce is my 2nd cousin on my Gauntt line through the Ellises.

Deaths

Rubin Meckler, son of Morris Meckler and Minnie Zelda Nowicki, died June 11, 1915 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York at the age of 1 year and 11 days.  He is my granduncle on my Meckler line.

William S. Naylor died June 11, 1915 at the age of 86, possibly in Burlington County, New Jersey.  He was the husband of Abigail Gaunt, daughter of Hananiah Selah Gaunt and Abigail Atkinson, who is my great-great-grandaunt and sister of the Hananiah Selah Gaunt who was married on June 11 (above).

Events in My Family Tree: June 6

I'm starting to get into a rhythm again with these.  Going to keep plugging along!

Births

Rheena M. Hertzel was born June 6, 1907 in Indiana.  She was the wife of Orville James Cage, son of James W. Cage and Mary Rosella Hutson, who is my 5th cousin 2x removed on my Gauntt line through the Hutsons.

Janet Elaine Goldstein was born June 6, 1943 in Newport News, Virginia.  She was the first wife of Melvin Cecil Gordon, son of Alexander Gordon and Roslyn Rubin, who is my 1st cousin once removed via the Gordons.  (And when they divorced the family kept Janet, not Melvin.)

William Thurman Phillips, son of Cecil Thurman Phillips, Jr. and Martha Ann Surran, was born June 6, 1957 in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky.  He is my 4th cousin on my Gauntt line through the Surrans.

Richard James Wickham, Jr. was born June 6, 1968.  He is the 3rd cousin of my half-sister Laurie Sellers.

Jordana E. Schneiderman was born June 6, 1972.  She is my 3rd cousin once removed.

Skye David Kushner was born June 6, 1989.  He is my 4th cousin once removed.

Marriages

James Dunstan married Maria Hilton June 6, 1811 in Manchester, Lancashire, England.  They are my 4th-great-grandparents (and I don't know any of their parents' names).

Floyd Gaunt, son of David Clinton Gaunt and Martha Sophronia Hartman, married Golda M. Mendenhall on June 6, 1914 in Indiana.  Floyd is my 4th cousin 2x removed on my Gauntt line.

Steve Craig Herendeen married Coleen Gayle Rogers, daughter of Stanley C. Rogers and Shirley June Gaunt, June 6, 1973.  Coleen is my 5th cousin once removed via the Gaunts.

Douglas Jeffrey Brainin, son of Samuel Michael Brainin and Blanche Mildred Sax, married Barbara Lynn Maynard June 6, 1993 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California.  Doug is my 2nd cousin once removed on my Brainin line.

Deaths

Barbara Ann Ellis, daughter of Samuel Naglee Ellis and Eleanor Jernee Thomas, died June 6, 1942 at the age of about 18 months in Burlington County, New Jersey.  She is my 2nd cousin on my Gauntt line through the Ellises.

Joseph Willet Votaw, son of Daniel W. Votaw and Louisa Gaunt, died June 6, 1960 in Richvalley, Wabash County, Indiana at the age of 84.  He is my 3rd cousin 3x removed via the Gaunts.

George Weldon Walker died june 6, 1979, possibly in Mount Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey, at the age of 58.  He was the husband of Mildred Taylor, daughter of Pearson R. Taylor, Jr. and Grace Elizabeth Easlick, who is my 4th cousin on my Gauntt line through the Easlicks.

Events in My Family Tree: April 28

My sister's grandfather is one among four generations of Bowen men who did not live to see the age of 60.

Births

John Gaunt, son of Joseph Gaunt and Elizabeth Borton, was born April 28, 1767 in Little Egg Harbor, Burlington County, New Jersey.  He is my 4th-great-granduncle.

Henry Sellers, son of George Sellers and Magdalena Shirk, was born April 28, 1813, probably in Pennsylvania.  He is my 3rd cousin 4x removed.

William Enos Gantt, son of Joseph Gantt (originally Gaunt) and Mary Ann McGowan, was born April 28, 1845 in Pennsylvania, possibly in Perry County.  He is my 1st cousin 5x removed.

Jane Dunstan, daughter of Frederick Cleworth Dunstan and Martha Winn, was born April 28, 1871 in Manchester, Lancashire, England.  She is my paternal great-grandmother.

Lillie Lawrence, daughter of Alfred Lawrence and Harriet Rebecca Eckman, was born April 28, 1890 in New Jersey.  She is the 1st cousin 2x removed of my 1st cousin Albert Lore.

Vivian M. Brainin, daughter of Max Joseph Brainin and Nellie Doctor, was born April 28, 1920 in New Bedford, Bristol County, Connecticut.  She is my 1st cousin 2x removed.

Ann Kardish, daughter of Dovid Kardish and Etta Gorodetsky, was born April 28, 1931 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  She is my 1st cousin 2x removed via the Gorodetskys.

Sandra Lee Dunn was born April 28, 1961 in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri.  She is my 2nd cousin on my Gauntt line.

Michael Roger Farrier was born April 28, 1979 in San Fernando, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago.  He is the brother of my sister-in-law, Sandra Farrier.

Marriage

Samuel W. McCutcheon and Mary Ann Fox, daughter of John Fox and Catherine Fisher, were married on April 28, 1829.  Mary is my 3rd-great-grandaunt.

Deaths

Rachel Anna Wells died April 28, 1902 at the age of 69 in Stony Creek, Warren County, New York.  She was married to Joel Chester Fuller, son of Lyman Fuller and Eliza, who is the 2nd-great-granduncle of my aunt Mary McStroul.

George Weldon Walker, Jr., son of George Weldon Walker and Mildred Taylor, died April 28, 1944 at the age of 7 months in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.  He is my 4th cousin once removed on my Gauntt line through the Taylors.

Francis Maria Bowen, son of William H. Bowen and Catherine S. Dunn, died April 28, 1951 at the age of 49.  He is the maternal grandfather of my half-sister Laurie Sellers in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey.