Note to all Stovall kin:  On August 24^th we will be observing the birthday of our ground zero American Grandfather, Bartholomew the Immigrant. 

We are aware of this significant date because it was preserved in the Quaker records of Guilford and currently resides in the Library of the Religious Society of Friends, Friend’s House, Euston Road, London, England. On those manuscripts the entry reads:

Stouell Bartholomew, son of George and Jone, Allbery, 1665.6.24 Guildford

Wait!  That entry lists the date 1665.6.24.  Isn’t that June 24^th, 1665, not August 24^th, 1665.  Rest assured, Bartholomew was born on the 24^th of August.  It appears as June because the prevalent religious practice in England during this period regarded March as the first month of the year, thus August is rolled back to the sixth month. 

One may ask, “What prevalent religious practice would cause this offset in the monthly numbering system?” The answer to this pertinent question can be found in the book of Luke in God’s Holy Bible.   

In an event named the Feast of Annunciation, Gabriel the Archangel was sent by God to visit Mary and advise her that she was to give birth to His Son and to name him Jesus.   According to Biblical scholars this took place on March 25^th.  Perhaps because of the Annunciation’s significance, March is sometimes considered the first month not the third month of the year, therefore skewing the sixth month to appear as August, not June. Thus, explaining why the entry appeared as 1665.6.24, when in actuality, and widley accepted as fact, Bartholomew was born 24 August 1665.