Original Dr. Samuel Mudd Headstone

[bob_summers]

(03-05-2016 03:29 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  Many thanks to Blaine for sending these two vintage photos (date unknown) of Dr. Samuel A. Mudd's grave with the original headstone at Saint Mary's Catholic Church. As Dave Taylor already asked previously on his site, see if you can spot an error in the headstone.

This may not have been an error. Although official death certificates were not yet required in Maryland, we are certain that Dr. Mudd died on January 10, 1883 from contemporary newspaper obituaries. However, there are no primary source records in existence for his oft-repeated date of birth of December 20, 1833. Dr. Richard Mudd does not cite any source record in his well-researched history of the Mudd family, and there is no surviving church record of his birth. The home of Dr. Mudd’s father, Henry Lowe Mudd, burned down around 1881, two years before Dr. Mudd’s death. All the family records were destroyed. Note that no specific date of birth is etched on the tombstone.

It seems reasonable that the 48 years cited on the tombstone was provided by Dr. Mudd’s family. In short, we know for certain when he died, but not for certain when he was born. Why not give deference to the recollection of those who knew him best when he died, instead of those of us now living who didn’t?