A while ago, I had discovered a birth certificate for Lester Hickmott – a son of Bert Hickmott and Anna Wortman (who are my great-grandparents). I had never heard of Lester before – but his birth certificate clearly makes him as part of the family – being the 5th child born, the 3rd living on August 2, 1909.

What I knew of the family was that Bert and Anna had a stillborn girl in 1900, a stillborn boy in 1901, Charles Frank in 1903, my grandfather Raymond L in 1904, Kenneth in 1908, Della in 1911, John in 1913 and another stillborn girl in 1914 that ultimately killed Anna a few weeks later as she never stopped bleeding. So, another child in 1909 would not be totally out of the realm of possibility.

However, grandpa never knew of a brother called Lester. Further research shows this birth certificate is the ONLY evidence of Lester. So, I re-examined the birth certificate. I saw that he was the 5th child born and the 3rd living. Well, honestly, that described what I knew about Kenneth.

However, Kenneth’s birth date is questionable. I cannot find his birth certificate online. He claimed in several sources August 16, 1908 as his birth date (Social Security, and obituary). His World War II Draft Registration Card actually has October 12, 1908.

So, I looked at the 1910 US Census – which lists Kenneth as being 8 months old. The 1910 census was enumerated in April 1910 – so calculating his birth would give August 1909! Of course, this assumes that his age was recorded accurately. I looked at the 1920 census – he’s living with his foster parents and recorded as 10 years old (which again, would agree with the 1909 birth since it was enumerated in January 1920). The 1930 census lists him as 20 years old – he was still living with his foster parents (enumerated April 1930 – so August 1909 birth would agree). In 1940, when he has started his own family, he’s suddenly 31 years old (enumerated April 1940 – making it August 1908 for birth). In 1950, he’s 41 years old (enumerated April 1950 – so August 1908 for birth).

Kenneth was taken from his father and siblings when his mother died – so when he was about 5 years old. It would be understandable that the DAY of birth could be changed. It’s also clear from the census records that it was only after Kenneth married and began his own family, that his birth year changed to 1908 instead of 1909.

Given the lack of documentation of Kenneth’s birth date of August 16, 1908 and the lack of documentation other than a birth certificate for Lester on August 2, 1909, I can only conclude that this birth certificate for Lester is really Kenneth’s. So, Lester Hickmott born August 2, 1909 is really my great-uncle Kenneth Hickmott who claimed to be born August 16, 1908.