It’s genealogy standard practice to start with death records. In this article, you’ll learn key tips for finding and using different types of death records.
Finding an ancestor's date of death is crucial to a genealogy researcher's search. Learn how to find records of your ancestor's death.
One of my ancestral families and all their children and their children's spouses are buried in the same rural cemetery. The only exception is their daughter who died in her teens and is buried in a separate cemetery. The parents died in the 1880s and the other children died between…
A key document for a researcher is the newspaper obituary on an ancestor.
Cemetery photos are great in genealogy, but only if you get the right ones. Here are 5 photos you should take every time you go to the cemetery.
Modern United States certificates often have code numbers that are specific to the cause of death. In some cases they may provide additional information or be more specific than the listed cause. This 1938 death certificate's code of 200b pretty much means the person dropped dead. The International List of Causes…
A good deal of information can be found in an ancestor's obituary. See if there was more than one printed.
That's me visiting my 3rd great grandmother One of the most informative records I have used over the years are cemetery records. They can provide a wealth of information. If you’ve been doing genealogy for any length of time, then you are familiar with Find A Grave and more recently Billion Graves. On those sites you put in a name and search for your ancestor. Or, you enter your own memorials. These sites are very valuable and can tell us where someone is buried, when & where they were born & died, or link that person to other family members. And sometimes, you’ll even find bio information that will give you all kinds of leads. However, sometimes all you find is a memorial with very little information. HOW MANY OF YOU MAKE PHONE CALLS TO CEMETERIES? This is something I have been doing for years and I’ve found it to be very valuable. Let’s say I find the name of the cemetery on a death certificate, memorial on FindAGrave or somewhere else online. Why would I call the cemetery? To obtain the exact location of the grave – Lot, Section, Plot number etc. To ask if their records indicate the cause of death. Many times this is indicated on a cemetery record (especially the older ones) To ask if their records indicate who purchased the plot or who currently owns it. To inquire if there are other family members buried in that cemetery. To ask if there is any correspondence attached to the record Here are some records I have either received via email or obtained during a visit to various cemeteries. The amount of information varies from place to place, but some of it is really a gold mine for a genealogist. This card for John Doller gives us an address, date of death, age at death, cause of death, date of burial, location and the name of the funeral director For Catherine Lindsay we get her residence, date & age at death, including months & days, cause of death, burial date, undertaker's name & grave location in the cemetery This record was obtained from very large old cemetery books. This is my great grandmother, Bessie Lindsay I had to photograph this large book in 3 sections. But look at the great information in the record. Name, funeral home, age, cause of death etc. This page gives, the interment date & location, the name of the nearest relative and who it was that ordered the grave. In this case it's my grandfather, H. W. Gould So, what do you think? Worth the effort to obtain cemetery information? Absolutely! TIPS & NOTES: Cemeteries are sometimes very busy, state your name & purpose and ask if they have time to assist you. I tend to stay away from the phrase “I’m a genealogist.” Believe me, there are some cemetery employees who have had bad experiences with pushy researchers. I just say that I’m trying to find burial locations for some family members. Often, I just get an email address & mail the my request to them. I rarely have to wait longer than a day or two for a response. If someone does take the time to help you, and many will, be sure you get the name of that person. Make a note of who you spoke to and when. Send a thank you card. Yes, a real, handwritten note. This was a tip given to me, by an experienced genealogist, when I first began researching. I have had great results with this method. You will often find out that other family members are in the same cemetery or one handled by the same office. That employee will remember you if you’ve thanked them. And guess what? They will be more than willing to help you again. Just sitting in front of your computer and finding records online can be very rewarding and yield great benefits. But, at some point, we all have to begin looking elsewhere for information. This is just one way that I have found to be very helpful over the years. Here are a couple of related posts that you may find helpful. Adding sibling links to FindAGrave memorials http://www.michiganfamilytrails.com/2014/01/adding-sibling-links-to-findagrave.html Michigan Death Records – Where to find them http://www.michiganfamilytrails.com/2013/12/michigan-death-records-onlinewhere-can.html Ancestry acquires FindAGrave http://www.michiganfamilytrails.com/2013/09/ancestry.html Happy hunting, Michigan Girl Copyright © 2014 Diane Gould Hall
Interested in genealogy but wondering how you can fit it into your busy life? Stash this cemetery bag in your car and you'll be ready to take photos!
The Rea family are still quite a mystery to me. I have very little information on them and I understand from the few people who have attempted to research them that its a difficult family to trace. Mary Jane Rea was my Great Great Grandmother. I would love to know more about her. She left my GG Grandfather in Katikati and came to live in Ponsonby in Auckland at least as early as the beginning of the 20th century , though they remained married all her life. Her Mother was Margaret Rea, the rather imposing woman in the photo below. The journalling is from her obituary in the Auckland Star February 6 1925 One of the links with the early pioneering days of Katikati was severed by the passing away on Tuesday last of Mrs Margaret Rea at the residence of her daughter Mrs Stanaway. The late Mrs Rae with her husbandand four children came out to New Zealand in 1875 with the first batch of settlers under the late Mr G Vesey Stewart, founder of the Katikati settlement. Throught the fifty years since arrival in the country the deceased lady resided at Katikati, and it is believed she was the last of the band of original adults who took part in the building of the settlement. The late Mrs Rea by her sterling qualities, kindly disposition and readiness to tender help and advice, endeared herself to all who knew her. her Husband predeceased her 12 years ago. She leaves four daughters and 2 sons.
How do you know your genealogy research is accurate? Use these five tips to be as sure as you can be in the world of genealogy.
An obituary can tell you a lot about the person who has passed away. Once in a while, a political statement is added to someone's obituary.
Are you getting the most out of your cemetery research? Are you finding all of the possible clues to help you jump start your genealogy research?
Always consider the possibility that your ancestor has no tombstone. This can because one was never erected in the first place or because the one that was erected has deteriorated beyond readability.
Here are 5 common reasons why you're not finding your ancestor's death record -- and what you can do about it.
This post contains affiliate links. Supplies for an Awesome Cemetery Photography Kit How do you take great photos in the cemetery?
Finding an ancestor's death date is usually high on a genealogy researcher's wish list. Here are 7 places to start your search.
Seeing the gravestone and viewing records in the cemetery office may yield ancestry information you won’t find in online. Here are nine things you can learn.
When taking pictures of tombstones, make certain to get every side of the marker. Some stones have inscriptions on more than one side and some tombstones have inscriptions for several different family members. One stone for the family was cheaper than individual stones. Sometimes FindAGrave submitters may overlook one side of a…
Learn the fascinating history behind England's 19th-century cemetery railroad that serviced Brookwood, one of the world's largest cemeteries.
Probate documents often indicate that someone died "on or about" a certain date. That phrasing is intentional. Usually the precise date of death is not germane to the settling of the estate and if later it turns out the actual date was a day earlier or later, the documents in…
This Individual Genealogy Record is designed for use in documenting critical information about an individual during genealogy research.
Genealogy resources and tips to find where your ancestors are buried, grow your family tree and keep you genealogy research moving forward.
Take your genealogy research into the field with these great cemetery apps. They include maps, gravesite location and more!
Finding an ancestor's date of death is crucial to a genealogy researcher's search. Learn how to find records of your ancestor's death.
Can't find your ancestor's grave? Explore alternative locations for burial and uncover unique ways to honor your family's legacy.
A transcription of a tombstone should only include what is on the tombstone. That's what makes it a transcription. Any parenthetical information preferably needs to be entirely separate from the transcription itself and clearly indicated as material that is not on the stone. Brackets should be used to indicate there's…
I would have sworn that my uncle was buried along the cemetery fence on the right side of the entryway. He wasn't. He is actually buried on the left side of the gate several rows from the fence. Write everything down. Your memory will fail. ——————— Genealogy Search Tip of…
