There are two death dates for Paul Sibley in the Vital Records of Spencer to the End of 1849: (1) "Feb. 28, 1803" and (2) "Feb 23, 1804, a. 54. G.S.I.".
The first death date is what was registered in the vital record books when he died. The second death date was found on Paul Sibley's headstone in the Old Spencer Cemetery (thus the "G.S.I." which refers to this cemetery).
When Paul Sibley died he didn't leave a will, but he had a substantial estate, so there are probate records for him in the Worcester County probate office. His estate was administered by one of his elder sons, Caleb Sibley. The letters of administration are dated 1 March 1803. The inventory was filed 15 March 1803. His estate was split amongst his heirs, the details of which are documented in a two page letter to the judge of probate. The letter is dated 30 March 1803, and identifies all the heirs of Paul Sibley, including his widow Sarah, and his heirs - Paul Sibley, Caleb Sibley, Jonathan Sibley, Stephen Marsh and Tamar Marsh [his wife], Tylor Marsh and Salley Marsh [his wife], Willard Converse in behalf of his wife Betsey, Polly Sibley, James Sprague guardian for Ruth Sibley, Rufus Sibley, and Simeon Sibley. These heirs line up quite nicely with his children as shown at FamilySearch here: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LZ2M-SVJ
The conclusion is that the 23 Feb 1804 date on his headstone is incorrect. The probate papers are original (not transcribed), and are dated 1803 in many places. There can be no doubt that the probate records are accurate, and that he died shortly before 1 March 1803. He was almost certainly the man whose death date was recorded in Spencer Feb 28, 1803.
The Feb 23, 1804 death date came from a separate survey of cemeteries in the town. Headstones with dates that didn't match the town vital records were added to the book as separate entries, thought to be separate individuals - thus the two dates for Paul Sibley in the Vital Records of Spencer to the End of 1849.
There is another clue that the 1804 date is wrong. His headstone says "aged 54". He was born 26 Apr 1748 in Sutton (per Sutton VRs). If he died 23 Feb 1804 he would have been age 55. But if he died 28 Feb 1803, he would have been 54, as shown on his headstone.
I don't know why the date on his headstone is wrong. 23 Feb and 28 Feb are pretty close, and could be confused in a transcription, or maybe even misread on the gravestone (I can't tell from the picture). Who knows why the discrepancy - but it wouldn't be the first time I've seen a gravestone with a wrong death date on it.
Also, I note that all the genealogy websites use the 23 Feb 1804 date - FamilySearch.org, Ancestry.com, Wikitree.com. The ones I checked all cite the FindAGrave memorial.
I found Paul Sibley's probate records at the New England Historical and Genealogical Society website, here: https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1635/i/30219/53545-co9/0
You would need a subscription to AmericanAncestors.org to see this. If you like, I'll send you a copy of the probate records in a PDF file. Let me know.
Anyway, I thought I would take this opportunity to let you know about this. I discovered this while researching Willard Converse and his wife Betsey Sibley. I needed to prove that Betsey was the daughter of Paul and Sarah (Putnam) Sibley, which is why I was studying Paul Sibley's probate records. Hopefully you will find this convincing.
Regards,
Rick Sullivan
www.WheelockGenealogy.com
The first death date is what was registered in the vital record books when he died. The second death date was found on Paul Sibley's headstone in the Old Spencer Cemetery (thus the "G.S.I." which refers to this cemetery).
When Paul Sibley died he didn't leave a will, but he had a substantial estate, so there are probate records for him in the Worcester County probate office. His estate was administered by one of his elder sons, Caleb Sibley. The letters of administration are dated 1 March 1803. The inventory was filed 15 March 1803. His estate was split amongst his heirs, the details of which are documented in a two page letter to the judge of probate. The letter is dated 30 March 1803, and identifies all the heirs of Paul Sibley, including his widow Sarah, and his heirs - Paul Sibley, Caleb Sibley, Jonathan Sibley, Stephen Marsh and Tamar Marsh [his wife], Tylor Marsh and Salley Marsh [his wife], Willard Converse in behalf of his wife Betsey, Polly Sibley, James Sprague guardian for Ruth Sibley, Rufus Sibley, and Simeon Sibley. These heirs line up quite nicely with his children as shown at FamilySearch here: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LZ2M-SVJ
The conclusion is that the 23 Feb 1804 date on his headstone is incorrect. The probate papers are original (not transcribed), and are dated 1803 in many places. There can be no doubt that the probate records are accurate, and that he died shortly before 1 March 1803. He was almost certainly the man whose death date was recorded in Spencer Feb 28, 1803.
The Feb 23, 1804 death date came from a separate survey of cemeteries in the town. Headstones with dates that didn't match the town vital records were added to the book as separate entries, thought to be separate individuals - thus the two dates for Paul Sibley in the Vital Records of Spencer to the End of 1849.
There is another clue that the 1804 date is wrong. His headstone says "aged 54". He was born 26 Apr 1748 in Sutton (per Sutton VRs). If he died 23 Feb 1804 he would have been age 55. But if he died 28 Feb 1803, he would have been 54, as shown on his headstone.
I don't know why the date on his headstone is wrong. 23 Feb and 28 Feb are pretty close, and could be confused in a transcription, or maybe even misread on the gravestone (I can't tell from the picture). Who knows why the discrepancy - but it wouldn't be the first time I've seen a gravestone with a wrong death date on it.
Also, I note that all the genealogy websites use the 23 Feb 1804 date - FamilySearch.org, Ancestry.com, Wikitree.com. The ones I checked all cite the FindAGrave memorial.
I found Paul Sibley's probate records at the New England Historical and Genealogical Society website, here: https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1635/i/30219/53545-co9/0
You would need a subscription to AmericanAncestors.org to see this. If you like, I'll send you a copy of the probate records in a PDF file. Let me know.
Anyway, I thought I would take this opportunity to let you know about this. I discovered this while researching Willard Converse and his wife Betsey Sibley. I needed to prove that Betsey was the daughter of Paul and Sarah (Putnam) Sibley, which is why I was studying Paul Sibley's probate records. Hopefully you will find this convincing.
Regards,
Rick Sullivan
www.WheelockGenealogy.com
There are two death dates for Paul Sibley in the Vital Records of Spencer to the End of 1849: (1) "Feb. 28, 1803" and (2) "Feb 23, 1804, a. 54. G.S.I.".
The first death date is what was registered in the vital record books when he died. The second death date was found on Paul Sibley's headstone in the Old Spencer Cemetery (thus the "G.S.I." which refers to this cemetery).
When Paul Sibley died he didn't leave a will, but he had a substantial estate, so there are probate records for him in the Worcester County probate office. His estate was administered by one of his elder sons, Caleb Sibley. The letters of administration are dated 1 March 1803. The inventory was filed 15 March 1803. His estate was split amongst his heirs, the details of which are documented in a two page letter to the judge of probate. The letter is dated 30 March 1803, and identifies all the heirs of Paul Sibley, including his widow Sarah, and his heirs - Paul Sibley, Caleb Sibley, Jonathan Sibley, Stephen Marsh and Tamar Marsh [his wife], Tylor Marsh and Salley Marsh [his wife], Willard Converse in behalf of his wife Betsey, Polly Sibley, James Sprague guardian for Ruth Sibley, Rufus Sibley, and Simeon Sibley. These heirs line up quite nicely with his children as shown at FamilySearch here: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LZ2M-SVJ
The conclusion is that the 23 Feb 1804 date on his headstone is incorrect. The probate papers are original (not transcribed), and are dated 1803 in many places. There can be no doubt that the probate records are accurate, and that he died shortly before 1 March 1803. He was almost certainly the man whose death date was recorded in Spencer Feb 28, 1803.
The Feb 23, 1804 death date came from a separate survey of cemeteries in the town. Headstones with dates that didn't match the town vital records were added to the book as separate entries, thought to be separate individuals - thus the two dates for Paul Sibley in the Vital Records of Spencer to the End of 1849.
There is another clue that the 1804 date is wrong. His headstone says "aged 54". He was born 26 Apr 1748 in Sutton (per Sutton VRs). If he died 23 Feb 1804 he would have been age 55. But if he died 28 Feb 1803, he would have been 54, as shown on his headstone.
I don't know why the date on his headstone is wrong. 23 Feb and 28 Feb are pretty close, and could be confused in a transcription, or maybe even misread on the gravestone (I can't tell from the picture). Who knows why the discrepancy - but it wouldn't be the first time I've seen a gravestone with a wrong death date on it.
Also, I note that all the genealogy websites use the 23 Feb 1804 date - FamilySearch.org, Ancestry.com, Wikitree.com. The ones I checked all cite the FindAGrave memorial.
I found Paul Sibley's probate records at the New England Historical and Genealogical Society website, here: https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1635/i/30219/53545-co9/0
You would need a subscription to AmericanAncestors.org to see this. If you like, I'll send you a copy of the probate records in a PDF file. Let me know.
Anyway, I thought I would take this opportunity to let you know about this. I discovered this while researching Willard Converse and his wife Betsey Sibley. I needed to prove that Betsey was the daughter of Paul and Sarah (Putnam) Sibley, which is why I was studying Paul Sibley's probate records. Hopefully you will find this convincing.
Regards,
Rick Sullivan
www.WheelockGenealogy.com
The first death date is what was registered in the vital record books when he died. The second death date was found on Paul Sibley's headstone in the Old Spencer Cemetery (thus the "G.S.I." which refers to this cemetery).
When Paul Sibley died he didn't leave a will, but he had a substantial estate, so there are probate records for him in the Worcester County probate office. His estate was administered by one of his elder sons, Caleb Sibley. The letters of administration are dated 1 March 1803. The inventory was filed 15 March 1803. His estate was split amongst his heirs, the details of which are documented in a two page letter to the judge of probate. The letter is dated 30 March 1803, and identifies all the heirs of Paul Sibley, including his widow Sarah, and his heirs - Paul Sibley, Caleb Sibley, Jonathan Sibley, Stephen Marsh and Tamar Marsh [his wife], Tylor Marsh and Salley Marsh [his wife], Willard Converse in behalf of his wife Betsey, Polly Sibley, James Sprague guardian for Ruth Sibley, Rufus Sibley, and Simeon Sibley. These heirs line up quite nicely with his children as shown at FamilySearch here: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LZ2M-SVJ
The conclusion is that the 23 Feb 1804 date on his headstone is incorrect. The probate papers are original (not transcribed), and are dated 1803 in many places. There can be no doubt that the probate records are accurate, and that he died shortly before 1 March 1803. He was almost certainly the man whose death date was recorded in Spencer Feb 28, 1803.
The Feb 23, 1804 death date came from a separate survey of cemeteries in the town. Headstones with dates that didn't match the town vital records were added to the book as separate entries, thought to be separate individuals - thus the two dates for Paul Sibley in the Vital Records of Spencer to the End of 1849.
There is another clue that the 1804 date is wrong. His headstone says "aged 54". He was born 26 Apr 1748 in Sutton (per Sutton VRs). If he died 23 Feb 1804 he would have been age 55. But if he died 28 Feb 1803, he would have been 54, as shown on his headstone.
I don't know why the date on his headstone is wrong. 23 Feb and 28 Feb are pretty close, and could be confused in a transcription, or maybe even misread on the gravestone (I can't tell from the picture). Who knows why the discrepancy - but it wouldn't be the first time I've seen a gravestone with a wrong death date on it.
Also, I note that all the genealogy websites use the 23 Feb 1804 date - FamilySearch.org, Ancestry.com, Wikitree.com. The ones I checked all cite the FindAGrave memorial.
I found Paul Sibley's probate records at the New England Historical and Genealogical Society website, here: https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1635/i/30219/53545-co9/0
You would need a subscription to AmericanAncestors.org to see this. If you like, I'll send you a copy of the probate records in a PDF file. Let me know.
Anyway, I thought I would take this opportunity to let you know about this. I discovered this while researching Willard Converse and his wife Betsey Sibley. I needed to prove that Betsey was the daughter of Paul and Sarah (Putnam) Sibley, which is why I was studying Paul Sibley's probate records. Hopefully you will find this convincing.
Regards,
Rick Sullivan
www.WheelockGenealogy.com
Gravesite Details
Age 54
Family Members
Siblings
Advertisement
Advertisement
