When William Stadden died in Dayton in 1848, he left 6 minor children. Because they had inherited from their father’s estate they needed a guardian to take charge of said estate. The mother of the four youngest children requested that David Green, the husband of her oldest daughter, be named guardian. In her petition she gave the birthdays of the children

William Stadden aged 14 on 25th of October 1849
Mariah Stadden aged 10 on 22d of March 1849
Aaron Stadden aged 6 on 22d of August 1849
Richard Stadden aged 3 on 28th of September 1849

The guardianship petition was filed January 22, 1849, so the birthdays listed for the children had not yet occurred. In fact, Aaron’s never did. He died of scarlet fever on February 28th, at the age of five.

The two oldest, Jonathan and Elizabeth, were over 14 and were thus legally able to select their own guardian. Unsurprisingly, they also chose David Green, their sister’s husband. In their petition, their birthdays were given:

That your Petitioner Jonathan Stadden will be Twenty Years old on the 12th day of October 1849 —
That your petitioner Elizabeth Stadden will be Sixteen years old on the 5th day of December 1849