Tip: Study the Entire Document

The fifth person on this list is Edmund Kaechle. His age appears to be 24 years old and he died about 1885. If you look at the person above him, Charles, you will see he is 5 years old. The “y” for Charles’ 5 years looks nothing like the “4” on Edmund’s 24 years.

That was my big mistake. Even though everyone in this cemetery plot are my family members, I didn’t study the list to see how the ages were recorded. If you look again, you’ll see the ages are as follows:

1. 1. 55y
   2. 2d
   3. 42y
   4. 5y
   5. 24
   6. 90y
   7. 70y
   8. 52y
   9. 72y

Do you see how the ages are recorded? Each age is followed by a “y” for years or a “d” for days.

I hadn’t realized that and mistakenly read Edmund’s age as 24 instead of 2 YEARS. What a big difference! Thankfully, I asked a cousin if he knew who this Edmund was who was 24 years old and died about 1885. He replied that he thought the age was 2 years. And, this changed everything.

Reinhardt Kaechle, the first person on the list and my 2nd great grandfather, had a “missing child.” In other words, he had three sons that I knew about, but his wife, Mary, had listed on her 1900 census that she was the mother of 4 children with 3 still living. This Edmund was likely that 4th child!

Do we share common ancestors or do you have additional information about this family? I’d love to talk! Please leave a comment or email me at drleeds@sbcglobal.net.