Daily AncestorDied in 1737 or 1738?
October 6, 2026 · Dates · Past records
Gravestone of John Lane, Cove Hill Cemetery, Gloucester, Massachusetts (now in the Cape Ann Museum)Today
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HERE LYES INTER'D
THE BODY OF Mr
JOHN LANE OF
GLOCESTER AGED 86
YEARS DECd JANry ye 24th
1737/8
John Lane died "Jan'ry ye 24th 1737/8". Which year is that in our modern calendar?
Correct
Not quite
Until 1752 the English colonies began the legal year on March 25, so January 24 still belonged to 1737 in the old reckoning but to 1738 in the new one. The carver cut both: a 7 with a small 8 under it, a double date. Write it as 24 Jan. 1737/8 in your notes and use 1738 for the modern year. "DECd" is deceased and "ye" is simply "the".
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