Lucy Holt Kilburn (Kilbourn) and the magical 3 year pregnancy!

Question

Hi there, in many sources, my ancestor Lucy Holt is said to have married Captain Joshua Kilbourn (Kilburn) and they lived in Connecticut. On a voyage in his ship "The Yankee" he traveled to New Orleans in 1811 and died there.

His wife then gave birth to a posthumous(?) daughter, Harriet L. Kilbourn (Kilburn) who married Elijah P. Powers of New London, Connecticut. Some sources say she was born in 1811 but her own tombstone says 1814. As do various newspaper articles in her later years. So Lucy Holt either had a 3 year pregnancy. Or Harriet wasn't Joshua's. Or there are some bad dates here somewhere. Starting with Harriet's tombstone or the death year of her father.

Can anyone shed some light on this with documented answers?

Thank you in advance!

Comments

Never ask a lady her age, right? Movie stars regularly gave false birth years for themselves. My own mother has been 39 for 52 years. So, it’s not a stretch that Harriett might have given a later date for her birth for some lost reason.

Answer 1

I would use the 1811 birth date and note in the profile exactly what you said here. At least it gives the bio a little zing!

Comments

Haha...well, there is that... :-)

But it's frustrating because it sheds doubt on any of Joshua Kilbourn's ancestors being mine as well.