I came across my great grandfather's WWI Draft card. He states is birth year as someone who is 35 (when he should be 60). Why would this have been done? Deception? Thank you, Roma Ancestors of Yesteryear

I'm 65, and I've had people say I look more like 55, but mistaking a 60-year-old for 35 is a bit of a stretch. I would entertain the possibility of error of some sort before wondering if he had deliberately intended to deceive. That's a bit of a stretch. Any way we can have a look at it? Karen Packard Rhodes home for the holidays in Middleburg, Clay County, Florida On 12/30/2012 4:15 PM, Roma Miller wrote: > I came across my great grandfather's WWI Draft card. He states is birth year as someone who is 35 (when he should be 60). Why would this have been done? Deception? > >

On Dec 30, 2012, at 1:15 PM, Roma Miller wrote: > I came across my great grandfather's WWI Draft card. He states is birth year as someone who is 35 (when he should be 60). Why would this have been done? Deception? 1. In my experience sometimes the top-bar of the numeral "5" can be missing due to handwriting errors or pen-and-ink problems. If you look closely at what appears to be a numeral "3" could this be the case? 2. Again in my experience, especially where German ancestry is predominant, signing up for WWI service took on more of a patriotic statement. My great-grandfather's brother, who had been born in Charleston SC but whose father was born in Germany, shaved ten years off his actual age to be considered. In 1917 on his WWI registration card he reported his birth year as 1876 instead of the correct 1866. This confused his descendants for several decades afterwards. But my assumption is that he wanted to be seriously considered for service, or at least appear to be serious. A 41-year-old man might have been a more attractive candidate than a 51-year old man. Best, Debra MacLaughlan Dumes http://sakionline.net/familypage