Follow Us
Like Us
Matching family tree profiles for John Flanakin Madden
view all
Immediate Family
-
wife -
son -
mother
-
father
About John Flanakin Madden
Although just a guess, the above along with the 1776 census of Frederick County, Maryland discussed hereafter may suggest something like the following:
John Madden born: 1691/92
(wife?) Sarah born: 1707/08 If wife, probably not first wife
John Madden, Jr.
(wife) Elizabeth
Dennis Madden
David Madden born: 1755 [per RW pension application]
Joseph Madden born: 1757/58/59 Maryland
One thing to remember about early dates is that although the Gregorian calendar was established in the year 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII, England continued to use the Julian calendar until the year 1752. By 1752 the flaw in the old Julian calendar had caused it be eleven days ahead of actual sun time. So, in 1751 Parliament passed an Act which inserted the eleven days in the calendar after September 2, 1752. The book this discussion was taken from states, “So little did the people understand the need for the calendar revision, that an angry mob gathered outside the Houses of Parliament, demanding that the eleven days filched out of their lives be restored to them”.
Another change the Act made was the date of the beginning of the year. The Act stated 1 January would be the first day of the year. The date generally used for New Year’s Day by Christians was 25 March. There was no uniformity in the early centuries, and some began the year on 25 December or 1 January. The only dates for New Year’s Day which were in use in American colonial days among the English settlers were 25 March (religious) and 1 January (beginning of legal year). Since Easter fell in the March/April period, 25 March was generally used for the religious New Year’s Day by Christians. For those using 25 March, the first month of the year was March and the twelfth was February. This change only affected dates between 1 January and 24 March.
We must keep the above discussed changes in mind especially when we find old records which recite something such as “born in the eleventh month, 23rd day of . . . .”. Not only the day but the month and the year of birth will change.
George Washington’s birth date is a good example of the difference the 1751 Act made; both eleven days were added and even the year of his birth changed.
Old style 11 February 1731 (February twelfth month of the year)
New style 22 February 1732 (February second month of the year)
Sometimes written 22 February 1731/32
Several dates given in the records used to prepare this compilation of information show dates written in the manner mentioned above. You will note each affects a date in either January, February or before 25 March. We can not tell whether or not all dates used in the materials were changed to “New Style” dates.
Showing a year of birth 1731/32 can be somewhat confusing because some people use the “/” to denote that they are not exactly sure when someone was born. An example is a birth date figured from a census form, 1850/51, where only an age is written and the month of birth is not known. Had the person already had his birthday or was it after the census was taken? This is the way I usually show ages taken from censuses.
view all
John Flanakin Madden's Timeline
| 1710 |
1710
|
Frederick, Maryland, United States
|
|
| 1740 |
1740
|
Frederick County, MD, United States
|
|
| 1780 |
1780
Age 70
|
Frederick, Maryland, United States
|