Two Stones-Two Dates of Birth

This stone for Riley Rampley in Buckeye Cemetery, Hancock County, Illinois is somewhat faded (and my picture is not the best). It indicates that he was born on 25 August 1835 and died on 27 March 1893.

The stone with Riley and his wife (shown below) provides the same information, except that it indicates he was born in 1825.

The 1835 date is consistent with other records. Of course, the tombstones do not provide primary information for Riley's date of birth (or Nancy's either), given when they were likely put on the graves.

Riley's "solo" stone could be considered primary information on his date of death, assuming that it was erected closely to the time he died. It could still be incorrect--remember that classification as either primary or secondary does not indicate that the information is accurate.

The "joint" stone, probably erected after Nancy's death, would contain primary information on her death, but not on Riley's as it was erected thirty years after his death.

Riley also has a military stone--giving him three stones in the same cemetery.

These photos are (c) Michael John Neill and are NOT to be posted on any website without prior permission.