I have an inventory for a prominent, late Quaker, Bernard Devonish, in New Jersey. The date says "the 14th 11th mo 1694" So, would that mean Jan 14 1695? That is, would the - civil - recording of an inventory after someone's death be written using Quaker dating? Since Bernard died in January 1695...this is what I assume. Is that right? Thanks. Paul

Exactly how a Quaker date should be interpreted as a modern date is debateable. Given that the 'new year' started on Lady Day (25th March), the 14th of the 11th month can be calculated in different ways. Which is why you should never transcribe a Quaker date as anything other than that!   The date provided on an inventory is pretty much up to the person writing it. If you had a convinced Quaker doing the inventory, then I guess you would get just such a date. I only have experience of English inventories, and can't remember seeing such a description of the month (common enough in wills), but certainly the year in an inventory was 'Old Style'. New Jersey practices may be different.   If you have some other independent primary source that states Bernard died in January 1695, then that's when he died. If the source is secondary, then the January may be in question, but the 1695 certainly isn't. Generally, inventories were taken very rapidly after death (quite often on the same day).     Chris         >________________________________ > From: "idirlion@me.com" <idirlion@me.com> >To: "QUAKER-ROOTS@rootsweb.com" <QUAKER-ROOTS@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Wednesday, 14 November 2012, 21:14 >Subject: [Q-R] dates > >I have an inventory for a prominent, late Quaker, Bernard Devonish, in New Jersey. > >The date says "the 14th 11th mo 1694" > >So, would that mean Jan 14 1695? > >That is, would the - civil - recording of an inventory after someone's death be written using Quaker dating? > >Since Bernard died in January 1695...this is what I assume. > >Is that right? > >Thanks. > >Paul > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to QUAKER-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > >