Posts in December 31, 2021

“I think Isaac Rucker died in May 1799…” That’s what Archeleus Reynolds said in August of 1834 in a deposition taken in Amherst, Virginia. The statement needs to be understood and evaluated based on context. There were several Isaac Ruckers in Amherst County, Virginia. The one Reynolds is talking about is his father-in-law–that’s made clear in other records in this case. Reynolds is making the statement 35 years after Isaac Rucker is claimed to have died. While this document should be transcribe exactly as written (along with a citation clearly stating where the deposition can be found and when it was made), the analysis should take into account the amount of time that has passed and how long it has been since Rucker died. A few things to […]