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Note: The birth date of Elizabeth (Ream) Newhouse is obscured by many records. First, the tombstone at Eastview Cemetery, Delmont, PA. It states that she was born January 31, 1788. If this were true, then she had to have been about 53 when she gave birth to her youngest son Josiah. There is more doubt about the source of correct information when we look at her husband's tombstone. It is not without error also. The date of death on his tombstone reads: July 31, 1864. Yet, testimony to his Will by the executors states that he was already dead by July 16! Also a court petition by son John on June 19, 1865 leaves a blank space for the day in July, 1864 the date of death, which implies that they didn't know. The tombstone evidence is doubtful.
Next consider the census records. What a mess! Census takers were a sorry lot in those days. One wonders who supplied them the information they recorded and there is much doubt when some of the family members were listed as illiterate. According to the ages reported, the following birth dates are implied:
Elizabeth Age 30 1830 Probable birth date : 1799
49 August 3, 1850 1801 57 June 11, 1860 1803 65 June 3, 1870 1805 87 June 29, 1880 1793 Finally, we have the baptism records of the German Lutheran Church-probably the most reliable of all the records. But to complicate matters, there were two Elizabeth Reams (aka Riehm) baptized 3 years apart. The first was born February 19, 1796 (parents Margaret & John George Ream) and the second was born January 31, 1799 (parents Abraham and Mary Catharine Ream). Which one married Samuel on May 5, 1818? Since Samuel and Elizabeth were both from Salem Twp. we conclude the father was Abraham, the only one listed in the census and he had a daughter age10-16 in 1810. therefore, we conclude the most probable birth date is January 31, 1799.
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