Birthdays

Birthdays are special.
I wonder why birth dates on documents vary so much. For instance, My great-great-grandfather, George Washington Sullivan, was listed as:
8 years old - 1880 Census (1872)
19 years old - Jan 1891 Marriage certificate (1871, since he had not had his birthday yet)
March 1871 - 1900 Census (1871)
47 years old - 1920 Census (1873)
56 years old - 1930 Census (1874)
12 March 1874 - Death Certificate (1950)

Now, I wonder why his mother/parent thought he was born in 1872.
What would make a person give so many different answers to, when were you born?

I wonder if I could get away with being 4 or 5 years younger when I'm in my 50's or 60's? ;-)

So, I average it out to be 1872, and that's what I use in my files.

Happy Birthday to my brother today!

Dece