Which is the better source for information?

Question

I have three pretty reliable records that have the birth-date of my great grandfather yet they all have a different date (however all are in 1890). I have a card from his own funeral, the Social Security Death Index, and a WWI Draft Registration card. Which is the most reliable?

Answer 1

I was told the WW1 Draft Registration Card.The reason being he filled this card out himself and the information should all be correct.A genealogist told me this and she has 32 year experience.

Answer 2

I am not an expert, but it seems to me that social security would be the most reliable.  Didn't you always have to present your birth certificate to register for SS?

Answer 3

I agree, the SS death index is your best bet

Answer 4

They all arent as reliable as one might think.  birthdates are not 100% right even for soc security records.  The birthdates they go by are whatever was written down and in most cases some people's actual birth records are never found.  My granpa for instance, could not find a record of his birth at all because the midwife the helped with the birth did not record it' as well as several others.  So they had to go by whatever the school records or draft cards had, again those were going by whatever were told to them.  

Not sure which is more reliable, although like others have stated, soc security might be the safe bet.

Answer 5

I personally would go for the draft registration card, and see if I can back it up with 1910 or 1900 census which normally has month and year of birth.

Reasoning.. persons signing for social security often had no proof when registering.  Ex hubby's grandma used alternate documents when she reached old age.. because of need for the money and she had a old letter her dad wrote, made her a yr older.. so she could get into school.

Reasoning on the draft?? NO one wanted to go to war. They registered out of legal obligation only when they had to. It also is the closest record in real time, to when he was born.

(persons born in the 1890s will often not have birth certificates.. or used delayed certificates in the 1930s-1940s)