This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/DYB.2ACE/687.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: I do not have a date of birth for my great grandfather. I think he died around November 3, 1899, because the last entry in his diary is late October, and someone pasted a newspaper clipping in the front of this diary regarding his GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) veterans group gathering for his funeral Wed, 3rd. It doesn't exactly say November 3, but there is a calendar for that year in the diary showing that November 3 fell on a Wed. The tragic thing about this last diary is that someone chose to tear out out all entries after Oct 21. You can easily see the ragged torn places. Was it too sad? Did it describe a fatal illness? BTW, in your reply you misspelled the name, it's Waldsmith, not Walsmith. Would like to hear from you with any information you have. This is fun!!