What is the WikiTree convention for when Ohio became part of the United States? 1803 or 1953?

Question

While tidying up after a merge, I noticed that the subject of the merge was born in "Ohio" in 1836 and died in the United States in 1895.  I found that Ohio is well-known as the 17th state admitted into the United States in 1803, amended the birth place to "Ohio, United States", and saved my changes.  But then I found this.  Should I revert my change?

I'm sure I saw a recent discussion on G2G about WikiTree policies as regards years of statehood, but now I can't find any appropriate list of states.  Next time I see it, I will make sure to add it to my bookmarks.

Answer 1

Paddy, I've lived in Ohio but that doesn't make me an authority by any stretch of the imagination.

However, I think you're very safe with staying with 1 March 1803 as the date Ohio was made a state of the Union. While the odd technicality is interesting, Ohio materially functioned and was recognized as a state from that 1803 action forward. Full rights and political representation as a state--and its residents began paying federal income taxes along with all other states when those came to be in 1912--means that Ohio has been treated as a state since the U.S. Congress approved its admission in 1803.

Comments

Agree. Especially since in 1953 they voted to make it retroactive to 1 Mar 1803. Leave it to Congress to mess something up.

Answer 2

Here's the link you need Paddy: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19msdf4uzxBiyIwCSNUBcrHt15Qp-DXpGxBYLp3YWDO0/edit#gid=1136264887

Took me a few minutes to relocate it, so I've bookmarked it now as well!

Comments

No wonder I couldn't find it - I confined my searches to site:wikitree.com which obvious didn't look at google.com!

Answer 3

Paddy,

if you want more details beyond the spreadsheet refer to https://digital.newberry.org/ahcb/ then pick Ohio then the consolidated chronology https://digital.newberry.org/ahcb/documents/OH_Consolidated_Chronology.htm#Consolidated_Chronology which (like any good map) cites the sources.