When February 29th rolls around it is, for most of us, perhaps a novelty. Chances are it may not even register if someone doesn't remind you. But Leap years are special.
A year is actually 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 47 seconds. Since this would be impossible to calculate with, we consider a "normal year" to have 365 days. But that extra time we knock off for convenience keeps building up until every four years we need to add an extra day to resynchronize the calendar. Unless... The year is divisible by 100 (for example 1900) which means that we skip it, again to resent the calendar.
So what happens if you are born on February 29, a leap day? Then this is truly a special occasion.
Meet my 1st cousin 2x removed- Edward Mealwitz Jr. He is my Grandfather's 1st cousin, the son of my great-grandmother's brother.
Boston Post (Boston, Massachusetts) 13 Jan 1904, Wed • Page 6
Edward was born on February 29, 1896 to German immigrants Edward and Bertha Mealwitz. They "americanized" their name from the original German spelling of Muhlwitz. Edward is one of those lucky few people to have been born on LEAP DAY.
Normally his birthday, that is , the first time there is a February 29th, would be 4 years later, but in 1900, Leap year is skipped because of the formula. It is a year divisible by 100. So the first Birthday he could actually celebrate on his birthday, February 29, was in 1904. (when he was 8 years old)
Edward married Lillian in 1920, the same year he celebrated his 5th birthday!
Edward and Lillian enjoyed visiting my Grandparents at their Yankee Lake House. My Grandfather's sister Helen is seated and Lillian is sitting on the chair's arm. This photo is from the 1940's. It looks like Edward has a cigarette hanging out of his mouth and has only recently celebrated his 10th Birthday!
Edward died in 1974 before celebrating his 19th Birthday. He was 78. Happy Birthday Cousin!
Here are the Birthdays he did Celebrate:
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
