What does this a. Mean?

[BettyB]

Could someone please tell me what the a. Means in this sentence:
Oscar Hammerstein (born in Berlin, 1847; a. 1863)

Thank you

Betty

[TriciaG]

Does it have to do with him leaving his family and going on his own? "After Oscar went skating in a park one day, his father found out and whipped him as punishment, goading Hammerstein to flee his family. With the proceeds from the sale of his violin, Hammerstein purchased a ticket to Liverpool, from which he departed on a three-month-long cruise to the United States, arriving in New York City in 1864." (Wikipedia)

[knotyouraveragejo]

Not certain, but I suspect it stands for antecedent (i.e. previous or prior to 1863).

[Rapunzelina]

Earlier in the Gutenberg text you're reading from it says
"Where biographical dates are given after the name of a person born in a foreign country, the date of arrival in the New World is often fully as important as that of birth or death. This date is indicated in the text by an a., which stands for arrived, as b. stands for born and d. for died."

[BettyB]

Thanks for clarifying.. It really does make sense in the context of my chapter.

Betty