Kelsey McKinney

The other is a tattered piece of paper that's like 70 years old with the names of everyone in the family in cursive and their brand new social security number and their ages. And this puts Grand Aunt Julia as younger. Oh. So you have two conflicting documents. Yeah.

The other is a tattered piece of paper that's like 70 years old with the names of everyone in the family in cursive and their brand new social security number and their ages. And this puts Grand Aunt Julia as younger. Oh. So you have two conflicting documents. Yeah.

And both of them are handwritten.

And both of them are handwritten.

Do you know anything about the history of social security numbers?

Do you know anything about the history of social security numbers?

Okay, great. I'm going to tell you because I looked it up.

Okay, great. I'm going to tell you because I looked it up.

Social security numbers were introduced by the Social Security Act in 1935. They began in earnest in November of 1936 with FDR's New Deal. And what we did as a country, I guess, was we converted a thousand post offices into typing centers. And then they just like made cards and shipped them to Washington.

Social security numbers were introduced by the Social Security Act in 1935. They began in earnest in November of 1936 with FDR's New Deal. And what we did as a country, I guess, was we converted a thousand post offices into typing centers. And then they just like made cards and shipped them to Washington.

So that means that everyone who was born before 1936 did not have a social security number, right? Someone was like coming to your house and being like, who lives here? What's their name? How old are they? Writing that down on a piece of paper and then getting you a card with a number on it.

So that means that everyone who was born before 1936 did not have a social security number, right? Someone was like coming to your house and being like, who lives here? What's their name? How old are they? Writing that down on a piece of paper and then getting you a card with a number on it.

So the document that they have in the house is this document that is like from the family's social security numbers being assigned.

So the document that they have in the house is this document that is like from the family's social security numbers being assigned.

You're like scratching your head.

You're like scratching your head.

Yes. And there are like a couple of real problems with this document, right? Like people's names are spelled wrong. Like the handwriting is borderline illegible.

Yes. And there are like a couple of real problems with this document, right? Like people's names are spelled wrong. Like the handwriting is borderline illegible.

Grandpa Enzo's quote middle name is just the letter D. And sure enough, Julia's age is five years younger than the family thought it should have been.

Grandpa Enzo's quote middle name is just the letter D. And sure enough, Julia's age is five years younger than the family thought it should have been.