Julian vs. Gregorian calendar discussion in G2G

[Chris Whitten]

EuroAristo and Mayflower folks:

Some time back we were talking about the Julian vs. Gregorian calendar
question -- I think Becky brought it up -- but I don't think we
resolved it. This is what we put on the date conventions page:
http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Date_Fields#Julian_vs._Gregorian_Calendar

Now it's come up in G2G:
http://www.wikitree.com/g2g/2688/what-is-the-convention-about-georgian-calender-dates

Can you help contribute to that discussion in G2G?

Thanks!

Chris

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Chris Whitten, WikiTreer-in-Chief
http://www.WikiTree.com/wiki/Contact_us#Chris

[Paul B]

I did some research many years ago when writing a calendar program.
Here is a link with some times of adoption of the Gregorian Calendar and its' implications.
http://www.webexhibits.org/calendars/year-countries.html
Exact dates are somewhat useless unless you know the convention being used in a certain time and place. So what if the date of an event in Italy is reported in England as being on the 20th of October 1582. Which calendar system is being referred to? England had not yet adopted the Gregorian system.
The Julian system is still used today, mainly in Astronomy. It is basically the number of days since Jan 1, 4713BC.
Paul

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[Chris Whitten]

Paul,

Are you also going to enter this comment on G2G? I notice Roger
already added a comment there. We should keep the discussion in one
place. I can post your comment if you need me to. Thanks!

Chris

[Kathy Alvis Patterson]

Fellow group members,
In my opinion, as it relates to Wikitree, there are two things needed:

1) A statement such as that found at
http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Date_Fields#Julian_vs._Gregorian_Calendar,
possibly with a link to a more complete explanation of the topic.

2) A policy for dates such as 1 Jan 1718/19. Do we enter 1718 or 1719?
I disagree with Chris's statement to "use the standard that the person
themselves would have known and used." Here is why: people back then
knew what that meant, but people living now usually do not.
The date given was the marriage of Mary Nurse to Samuel Francis. Mary
Nurse was born Mary Eaton; her first husband Josiah Nurse (a grandson of
Rebecca Nurse, the condemned witch of Salem) died 4 Apr 1718.
People living then understood that April 1718 was almost a year before
Jan 1718. People living now do not get that, and so researchers have
said it must be a different Mary Nurse who married Samuel Francis.
So, I vote for a suggested Wikitree policy of using the later year for
these double dates, that is 1719 instead of 1718.

We all know (or at least everyone used to know) that George Washington
was born 22 Feb 1732. Is this Gregorian or Julian? For the first
twenty years of his life Washington thought he was born in 1731.
Anyone creating profile for Washington should really use 1732, since
that is what he thought after the age of 20, and that is what general
reference books have.

What Wikitree users do not have to think about at all is how the
differing dates relate to each other.

What does it matter if Shakespeare (Julian) or Cervantes (Gregorian)
died ten days before the other? Genealogists can write that both died
23 Apr 1616, and no one today need be concerned with the distinction,
except maybe an astrologer.

Kathy

[Lindsay Coleman]

I agree... I normally love using the profile person's conventions but people
like me arent smart enough to realize there are two date methods and would
have NO IDEA... I would pick one method and have it apply to all of
WikiTree...

[Classic T]

I put you on the trusted list of William S. so you should be able to link your line there. When you get to him just put William S.Baker b 1848, then add bar at bottom. You should see the William S. I have listed as possable match. Click on name to view,make sure it's right one. Then when that's done, let me know, and I'll add you there as a profile manager, and his parents as well, so you can add info as you like,(please no gedcoms, they just make a mess of things).

T-Mobile. America's First Nationwide 4G Network

[Chris Whitten]

Kathy, I think you make great points.

This is the direction the conversation at
http://www.wikitree.com/g2g/2688/what-is-the-convention-about-georgian-calender-dates
was headed too.

I updated the explanation on
http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Date_Fields#Julian_vs._Gregorian_Calendar
to call for using the Gregorian date if at all possible, e.g. 1719
when you see the date written as 1718/1719. Let me know if that needs
something more.

Chris