Even with Carver's own words; no one knows exactly what year Carver was born. The quote suggests he was born in 1865, though according to census information from 1870 he was born in 1860. Even other stories Carver told placed his birthdate in a different year. Unfortunetly with the choas typical to post war Missouri there are no records to confirm one date as accurate.

What is known about Carver, is that he was born to a slave girl named Mary. Her owners were farmers in southwest Missouri; Moses and Susan Carver. This is where the story of George Washington Carver begins. His early years brought him from slavery, to be raised as a son by his former owners and pursue his education through numerous travels.