Look for Obituaries & Death Records of Everyone in the Family

Diane asked for help with William Henry Leitch

Son of John E Leitch and Sarah Blagborough in Brantford, Ontario.  He is my grandfather.  I found reference to him in the 1924 Brantford City Directory, working as a salesman for Met Life Insurance.  After that……..nothing.  I know he and my G.mother separated shortly after that date……any suggestions on how I might find out what happened to him?  Have not been able to locate him in any local cemetery or find an obit or death record for him.  His sister emigrated to Mass, USA and I found her but he was not with her.

Diane

1953 Voter's List

I did a little digging and found William born ca 1887 and often going by his middle name of Henry in the records. In 1891 he is 4 years old in Brantford with his parents and sister Florence May. In 1901 he is a lodger in Brantford with his wife Nellie. In 1921 he and Nellie and their son Harold are still in Brantford.

In 1953 his wife Nellie is listed as a widow living in Brantford with their son Harold and a Mavis Leitch who I suspect is a daughter.

Nellie may have lied about her matrimonial status but it is also possible she was telling the truth. I would look for cemetery records in and around Brantford between 1924 and 1953. Also you might check newspapers for an obituary of either his sister in Massachusetts or William Henry himself. Try death records and obituaries of his children as well.

Could this be your Nellie Leitch celebrating her 90th birthday? Brantford Expositor Index:

Leitch Mrs Nellie 90th

Birthday

Jul 16, 1980

P20

Leitch Nellie 90th

Birthday

Jul 26, 1980

P19

Perhaps this is her death?

LEITCH, NELLIE ADA

Death

Jan 25, 1992

You can search for yourself at http://brantford.library.on.ca/localhistory/bmd/search-the-bmd/ 

Obituaries and death records of all family members may prove to be very helpful

Analysing Clues to Help You Figure Out Where to Search Next

Sherri asked about her grandfather's death:

I have been looking for information for about 5 years about my grandfather who is named Burrell Charles Ball first married to Doreen Roxie Morcombe (from Omemee) and then afterward I think Estelle Ball was his wife.  Burrell’s brother I know was from Emily Twp, Albert and he died a few years back and Burrell died around 1993 but I do not know when, where, how etc. 

Also Russell Charles Ball was their father and I believe he lived in Lakefield but there is little information about any of them.  I know there was a fire in Russell’s Lakefield home where he had Burrell, Albert and Barbara E. Ball (I think).  He was married to Julia Secreta Wood that I believe died when she was young.   Where can I go to find out more information?

Olive Tree Genealogy Answer:

Hello Sherri. Since you did not provide an estimated year of birth for Burell, I had to hunt on the 'net to find some mention of him.  Luckily I happened on one of your message board posts where you stated he was born circa 1920 and, best of all, that he was in WW2.

His military service is a great clue and means there are a number of steps you can now take:

Step One:
Did you know that you can send for his military file from Library and Archives Canada? This will give you lots of detail about your grandfather, and may include his death date and location.

Step Two:
Also you can search the online records of the Legion Magazine's Last Post. These are death notices for servicemen and women. Burell is found - just conduct a search under his name. His death date is given as November 14, 1992 (no location). So if he were my ancestor my next step would be to write to the Legion Magazine and ask if they have any other information on Burrell.

Step Three: 
Write to the Legion Branch (Haliburton) where Burrell was a member. Ask if anyone remembers him or if there is more information available. 

There are other steps you can take even with the few clues you have given me.

Step Four:
Send for Burrell's birth certificate from the Registrar General in Thunder Bay.  This will give you an exact date and location of birth, as well his parents' names and ages. With any luck the info found there will lead you to finding his parents in the 1911 census or in earlier records.

Step Five:
Lakefield is in Peterborough County so I would write to the Peterborough Museum & Archives and ask if they have any information on the family.

Burrell's Parents
Now, turning to Burrell's parents. You don't seem to have found the information available on Russell and his wife Julia. Ancestry.com has Ontario marriage records to 1927 online. The marriage of Russell Charles Ball age 29 to Julia Secreta [sic] Wood age 19 is found in Peterborough County 6 June 1917.  You will want to obtain this record. Julia's middle name appears to be a mistranscription of the actual name given in the image.

 Ancestry.com has very nicely shown that there are other records online for Russell and Julia - namely Russell's birth, 1891 census, 1901 census, 1911 census, Julia's birth and her death. Their places of birth and parents' names are found in the record of marriage record.

Next, since Lakefield was mentioned by you, why not search the online Lakefield Cemetery website? I did, and found Charles Russell Ball, Julia and several other Ball burials. You may be able to match some of them with whatever you find in the census records. This will give you some family groups with dates.

Summary:
Going clue by clue I've now found Russell Charles Ball's birth record, marriage record and burial. Each new bit of information was a clue I used to find another bit. I have also found his parents' names and  their deaths too. Their deaths provided me with their locations of birth.

There is much more available online but I'll leave you the fun of following the trail I started for you.

Can't Find Ancestor's Death Record - Now What?

Cliff asked Olive Tree Genealogy for help finding an ancestor's death:

I've been looking for my great great grandfather's death date for the past 20 years, and I have been noteably unsuccessful :-(

- Robert "Red Robin" Johnston, b. ca. 1807-1808, Ireland,

- came to Upper Canada ca. 1822-1832, married Mary Francis McQueen in 1833 - marriage bond issued on July 22, 1833,

- farmed just NW of Pendleton, N. Plantagenet Twp., Prescott Co., Ontario, CANADA, died ca. 1895-96 - estimated by the activity on the land record of the farm. [large portions of email edited by Lorine]

Any help that you can give me before I die - I will appreciate it very much :-)  I would like to place a tombstone on his grave site - there is none there currently.  The cemetery has no record of his death date - just where he is buried among family.

Olive Tree Genealogy's Answer

Clff  - Since you know where your great-great-grandfather is buried, you might want to think about  erecting a tombstone that  simply bears his name, place of birth and death and perhaps that he was the husband of Mary Francis. I would add her years of birth and death if you know them just to give some idea of Robert's time period for future historians and genealogists.

The sad fact is that not all deaths were registered! If he died in the winter and it was a difficult trip to the registry office, the family might not have bothered. And if it were registered in the Church records (which you noted burned) they could have felt they'd done enough.

Have you seen the Ancestor Death Record Finder? You may want to have a look as it gives many other sources for finding an ancestor's death date.

You provided me with a nice list of where you've searched - thank you! But you didn't tell me what names you searched under. His surname can be recorded as Johnstone, Johnston, and Johnson and it can be mis-recorded many ways! If you didn't use wildcards in your searching, you should. Also his first name and nickname. Perhaps he was record as Rob, Robbie or Robert. Perhaps as Robin or Red. Hopefully you checked under all variants including just initals (R. Johnstone)

A little caveat - be careful narrowing that estimate of his death only based on the land record activity unless it states the land was going to his heirs! Otherwise you might want to stick to 1891 census (if you found him there) as the last record for him and note that he does not appear in the 1901 census (if that is the case)

I think it's wonderful that you want to erect a tombstone to honour him. I'd do that right away and put as much information on it as you know. You can always add to it later if you find an exact date of death.

Looking For a Scottish Ancestor

Judy asked about James Galloway from Scotland

am looking for immigration records on James H Galloway. The middle name is either Herbert or Hubbard. According to the 1880 US census it states he immigrated in 1898 and was naturalized in 1904. We know thes may or may notbe accurate. I do know in 1907 he married Laura Hanfelder in Madison County, Granite City, IL and they lived there until 1920 where he shows up in Decatur, Macon Co., IL and lived there until his death in 1942. I have not been able to find him in 1900. The story is he immigrated from Glasgow, Scotland; that his parents died when he was a baby and his grandfather adopted him. The grandfather was a ships's captain and took James with him and tutored him on the ships. This is just a story. We do know that his mother's name was Mary White (maiden name I presume).James was approximately age 23 when he came to US. Can you help?

ASK OLIVE TREE RESPONSE: Dear Judy, I'm going to assume you made a typo when you said that the 1880 census gave James' immigration as 1898 and naturalization in 1904. Obviously if he immigrated in 1898 he isn't on the 1880 census, nor could that census predict his future years of immigration and naturalization.

But in any case, if you pop over to FamilySearch and search their Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947, you'll find James' death in 1942.

The image is not available but here is the search result information

Name: James H. Galloway
Death Date: 06 Oct 1942
Death Place: Decatur, Macon County, Illinois
Age: 68
Birth Date: 13 Jul 1874
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
Father: James Galloway
Father's Birth Place: Scotland
Mother: Mary White
Mother's Birth Place: Scotland
Occupation: Plant Supt.-Staley bMfg.Co.
Residence: Decatur, Macon County, Illinois
Spouse: Laura Hanfelder
Burial Date: 09 Oct 1942
Burial Place: Decatur, Macon County, Illinois
Cemetery: Fairlawn
Digital Folder Number: 4008600
Image Number: 1357
Film Number: 1851787
Volume/Page/Certificate Number: 3956

Now you have his exact date of birth and parents' names. Scottish records are very good and I'm quite sure a search of Scotland's People would turn up much more on this family.

Finding a Burial or Death Record in Ontario Canada

Walter wrote with a  lengthy outline of his family (from England to New York and on to Ontario Canada) and he asked several questions. I'm going to extract one small portion of his email and respond to that question. I will respond to his other questions at a later date:

Mary Manns(Hutchens) died on 12 October 1862 at age 40 and is buried in Bayfield (Public) Cemetery in HU-3241-B. The CFA listing shows her "Manns, Mary West". The West's and Manns were neighbors I am told and Mary was buried in their plot or section. Fredric Manns, her husband is buried in the same Cemetery and apparently in the same section according to OCFA records. I would like to know the Address of the Cemetery in order to communicate with them. I want to find out the date of Frederik's death and if he is buried next to or near Mary

ASK OLIVE TREE ANSWER:  Dear Walter, When you searched OCFA (Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid) online for your ancestors, you overlooked something helpful. The Ref. you quoted above (HU-3241-B) is very important. Let me explain what it tells you.

The opening page is at http://ocfa.islandnet.com/ 

Look down that first page until you see the following text

Once you have located an ancestor in OCFA and know the Reference number, you are ready to contact the contributing organization for more information.

Click on the link for CONTRIBUTING ORGANIZATION.

A new page loads. Using the FIND feature on your browser, hunt for HU (the start of your Ref number for Mary Mann's burial)

You will next see
"For REFERENCE FIELD numbers beginning with "HU-", write to..."

Bingo! There's the address for Huron Co. Ontario Genealogical Society Branch. Write to them with Mary and Frederik's details and request a lookup.

If you are intent on skipping the Huron Co. branch OGS and writing directly to the Cemetery, just Google it or order the microfilmed records via ILL (InterLibraryLoan) to read through it. Have you checked the Huron Co. GenWeb site to see what is online?

Finding a Catholic Death Record in Ontario in 1861

Julia asked about a death in Ontario Canada in 1861

I am researching regarding the untimely death of my ancestor John Coughlin at age 29. He resided in Biddulph Township in 1861, when he died. His family resided in Stephen Township and he is buried at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel church in Mount Carmel. Can you direct me as to where I should look?

ASK OLIVE TREE ANSWER: Hello Julia - unfortunately Vital Registrations of Births, Marriages and Deaths did not begin in Ontario Canada until 1869.

You will have to find the local church (Our Lady of Mount Carmel) and ask to consult their records if they exist. Many Catholic churches do not allow the church books to be consulted so be prepared.

Finding an ancestor's arrival in Canada before 1865

Marie asked a question

I have been having a lot of problems trying to get information on my family thomas wingle birth around 1829 in ireland he was married to Johanna O'Brien they were married around 1865, in our Lady of Angels Church in Brudenell Renfrew Country of Ontario Canada. Johannas parent were James O'Brine and Ellen Gisson (spelled Kissan or Kissane).i think they were from Co. Kerry. Thomas had a sister Hannah there patients were Michael Windle and Bridget Moore. information i have is the hannah died in 1917. i have not been able to find any more information or any way to find out when and were they landed in canada if it was canada or the U.S.A i would appreacate any help you can give me in the line of information or help.

OLIVE TREE ANSWER: Hi Marie. Unfortunately finding a ships passenger list to Canada in the time period you need is a challenging task. Ships Passenger lists were not required to be kept before 1865 so it is hit and miss whether or not you will find one. However if you go to SHIPS PASSENGER LISTS TO CANADA you will see a section called "Filling in the Gaps in Ships Passenger Lists to Canada"

There is a lookup service provided there (for a small fee) in the following Books of Immigration and Ships Passenger Lists Records.
[BOOK 1] Names of Emigrants 1845-1847. Records of James Allison, Emigrant Agent at Montreal (Quebec Canada)
[BOOKS 2-4] Canada Company Remittance Books 1843-1847 in 3 Volumes.
[BOOK 5] Index of Passengers Who Emigrated to Canada between 1817 and 1849.

As well you will find links to online sites that have miscellaneous ships passenger lists to Canada in the time period you need (1829-1865).

Here are just a few of the ones that may be of most help to you

* The Hawke Papers, letterbooks of Chief Emigrant Agent Anthony B. Hawke are available at the Archives of Ontario from 1831 to 1892. The 1831-1865 records are not online but can be consulted at the Ontario Archives

* Passenger Books of J & J Cooke, Shipping Agents with sailings from Londonderry Ireland to Quebec and St. John New Brunswick from 1847 to 1871.

* Return of Emigrants Landed at the Port of Kingston Ontario, Canada 1861-1882 gives the final destination of the individuals, their date of arrival at Kingston and more.

Don't overlook death records as a source of information on an ancestor's origins and place of birth or immigration year. You might find Ancestor Death Record Finder helpful

Did you check census records for the year of immigration?

There are many avenues of research open to you. I'm sure you can find out much more about your ancestors with a bit more work.

Don't Put all your Genealogy Eggs in One Basket!

Donald's Question:

Hiram Walker was born in Tennessee in 1807 and married Judah George in 1827. According to the 1880 Census his father, Alexander Walker, was born in Ireland and his mother was born in Pennsylvania. Since the Walkers were early Methodist, I beleive they came from Ultser to Philadelphia about 1780-1800. I can't find them on any of the 1810 or 1820 Censuses or on any ships list. Any assistance would be appreciated!

Olive Tree Answer: Donald - Unless you have other sources which confirm Hiram's father's birth in Ireland, I would hesitate to embark on a research tour of Ulster resources based on one census entry.

What do we know about Hiram's father? We know that he (or at least his wife) was in Tennessee in 1807.

When did Hiram die? Do you have his obituary or his death certificate? I assume that you have documentation which provided the father's name as Alexander.

I hope that you have done all the usual checking: followed other Walkers born in Tennessee living near Hiram, searched Tennessee Grantor/grantee indices, consulted TSL newspaper index, found any Walkers born in Tennessee which are of a similar age, (e.g. have you looked at the 1850 Census on Ancestry.com for Polly Walker and her family? Polly born in Pennsylvania, her children state father was born in Virginia; three daughters Ann, Alcy, and Mary Walker White lived long enough to find death certificates for them).

You may want to have a look at the Ancestor Death Record Finder for more help with alternate ideas for death records other than obituaries or death certificates.

Finding Death Records in Tennessee

Connie's Question

Matilda Richardson was the first wife of my great grandfather, Levi Richardson. They had three sons, the youngest born January 8, 1852 or 1855. Matilda had died by the time this son was three years old. They lived in Hawkins County, Tennessee. I would like to know the date of Matilda's death, where she was buried, and what her maiden name was. Thank you very much.

Olive Tree Answer: Dear Connie,

Your first task should be to follow that youngest son and find out exactly when he was born. Finding his marriage and death records (and possibly his obituary) may give you his mother's maiden name. And, if you have his birth date and that "three year old" information is correct, you will have narrowed down the death date for Mathilda.

Look for cemetery records in Hawkins County for Mathilda. If unavailable, look at deeds, and guardianships. And once you have Mathilda' surname, check for wills for men of that surname: someone may have devised property to "my grandson Joe Richardson, son of my late daughter Mathilda."

Next, when was oldest child born - and where? That might give you a Look there for marriage records

You may find your answers at the Hawkins County website. There is also this site for Hawkins County And the Tennessee State Library archives has a resource list for Hawkins county

Tthe LDS have a wealth of microfilms for Hawkins Co TN - cemetery indices, chancery court records, wills 1786-1886. County oaths and bonds (Hawkins County, Tennessee), 1813-1930, deeds from 1700s to 1950....

FInding an Ancestor Who Disappears

Ed's Question:

William J. Page/Paige was born in Bangor, ME, in May 1882, son of Oscar and Martha (Cowan) Page. He was married in Veazie, ME, in 1905 to Margaret Jenkins, who was from East Boston, MA. They lived in the Bangor area, but moved back to Boston by 1919. After their last child was born in Boston in 1924, William left his family. His wife was unable to locate him and evidently had him declared dead, since in the 1934 Boston City Directory she is listed as a widow. (However it is said that he kept in touch with his older daughters.)

William is not in any more Boston City Directories. I did not find him in the 1930 Census in Maine or Massachusetts. I did not find his death record in Maine or Massachusetts, from 1924 to 2005. He is not mentioned in the death notices of his father or siblings. I haven't yet found his mother's date of death. When William's wife died in 1946, her death record implied he was alive, age 57, but the wording of the form is "Age of Husband if alive." Her death notice said he was dead.

I would like to know what happened to him and where he died. Do you have any suggestions of other places to look?

Ask Olive Answer
Hello Ed,
It looks as though you have done a thorough job in your search for William. I am heartened to see that you have attempted to follow the siblings for a clue to William's whereabouts. Many times we find references to siblings and in-laws in obituaries which help to narrow time frames and offer other locations to search.

I would not put too much credence in the "declared dead" assumption: oftentimes directory listing information is supplied by neighbors. If his wife did have him declared dead, you would find reference to that in Boston court records. Those court records will state what efforts were made to contact William, where he was last known, etc.

The apparent contradiction between Margaret's death certificate which implies that William is alive, and her obituary which states that he is deceased, is not an unusual occurrence. Death certificate information is accurate when the person supplying that information is fully informed, and calm in an emotional moment; obituary information may have been hastily given, incorrectly transcribed, or supplied by someone not fully informed.

As you already have the information about the deaths of William's father and siblings, it might be useful to look at probate records. Occasionally, we find a gem "Notice to Heirs" which specifies who may be entitled to share in the estate, and what the executor did to notify them. If Oscar owned land, follow the real estate transactions: did the surviving children sell the home? If William was alive at the time of the estate distribution, he would have had to sign papers indicating that he had received his portion.

The Bangor Public Library has a number of resources which might prove helpful.

Obtaining New York Vital Statistic Records

Fithian's Question

How can I request a birth certificate for my deceased mother (NY State). I have gone to the website of the NYDPH (NY Dept Public Health) and it clearly states that only the person in question, or the person's parent can make that request...which is really strange, don't you think. There is a long-standing discrepancy in the family as to the exact date of her birth, although the town of her birth is accepted as true, as she lived there for her entire childhood. any comments or suggestions?

Olive Tree Answer: Hello Fithian. In recent years, public access to vital records has changed due to privacy concerns and security regulations. Most access rules depend upon when the event occurred and where.

You did not mention where or when your mother was born.

The rules in New York City, Albany, Yonkers and Buffalo are different than the rules in the rest of New York State.

For areas in NYS other than those four, if the birth took place after 1881 and before 1934 (seventy five years ago), you will have no trouble getting a copy of the birth certificate for genealogical purposes. If the birth was less than 75 years ago, you will have to offer proof of death and of your relationship. The basic cost is $22.00

Finding an ancestor with an unusual surname

Norma's Question:

I have researched my family pretty well here in USA. My Maiden name is
Ernenputsch, and. as you can see it is unusual and there are about 175 or so with that name. I have the entrance of my gggrandfather and family into the states, however when I check the German files I cannot locate him or his family in Germany. How or where do I search to find information on him or
his parents? His name is Carl/Charles Ernenputsch and is found to be a widower on the passenger list. He and his 3 children immigrated November 6,
1885. I lost track of him until his death in Michigan 1918. My grandfather's name was Hugo and I pretty much have his information. His
brother Charles was murdered in Lincoln Twn., Newaygo, Michigan. His murder was never solved. They had a sister by the name of Rosetta (aka Setta.) I have traced her to Chicago by her married name of Whitfield, and she had 3 daughters. I would appreciate very much to be able to make contact with her descendants but without knowing their married name I am at a loss. How do I find out what the married names are?

Olive Tree Answer:
Dear Norma, You have many questions, I will try to briefly answer each of them.

You are blessed and cursed with an unusual surname. The good part is that you may be able to find other Ernenputsch's who have more complete details which can provide you with clues to where families with that name originated. Some may have complete Home Town information on their passenger lists, or on their applications for naturalization. Some people have detailled obituaries which mention their birthplaces. As far as Carl is concerned, have you obtained his death certificate? The Library of Michigan, in partnership with Michigan State Archives, has placed death certificates 1897 - 1920 online.

Did he have an obituary? Did he apply for naturalization? Or did Carl and Hugo naturalize? Footnote.com has Naturalization Records from NARA. Ancestry.com also has Naturalization records as part of their World Archives Project

And be sure to look for burials: oftentimes immigrants have both their hometowns and US towns proudly carved on those headstones.

Did you derive the emigration information from an index, or from the actual Hamburg passenger list? The Hamburg list has a residence included.

As you have Hugo's complete information (including birthdate) it will be easier to identify the correct person when you get to those German church records. Don't forget the German naming conventions, do a search on vornamen and ruhnamen for further explanations.

As for Rosetta Whitfield, I did a quick check at the Illinois State Archives; Rosetta died 07 July 1937 in Chicago: her obituary will probably give the daughter's married names. And check the 1910 census: I believe there is another daughter. You can find obituaries in many online newspaper sites such as Ancestry.com, GenealogyBank.com or NewspaperArchive.com

Finding an Ancestor's Death Record

Carole's Question:

Please help me find where and when my great-uncle died. Here is what I know:

1. Vincent Alphonsus Hipp was born May 19, 1884 in Monroeville, Huron County, Ohio, the son of Andrew and Catherine (Seifert) Hipp. After graduation from high school, he evidently went out to California.

2. In 1904 he is listed in the San Francisco City Directory as being a clerk at the Pac Hardware & Steel Co., 4 1413 1/2 Guerrro.

3. Further information is that the "Goldfield Tribune" listed him as being at the deathbed of my grandfather in Goldfield, Nevada on December 20, 1906. (He may have worked with my grandfather at a lumber business in Goldfield.)

4. After that he disappeared, and no one knows what happened to him. As I grew up, I was told the story that he had worked as a clerk on a boat on the Sacramento River, fell overboard and drowned. I haven't been able to prove or disprove that story.

Here's what I have done:

1. Checked both of the older California State Death Indexes (even had a search done) to no avail.

2. Looked at the 1910, 1920 and 1930 Censuses. No luck.

3. Checked the WWI Draft Registration Cards. No luck.

4. Checked Ancestry and Family Search sites. SAA

So, what should I do next? Could there possibly be any truth in the family story? If so, where would I look? Who should I contact? I live in Wisconsin so can't get to CA any time soon. Please guide me. Thanks so much.

Olive Tree Answer:

Dear Carole - An excellent query! You have done all of the basic research which could and should be done. And you have explained clearly what information you are looking for.

If you cannot find Vincent, then you must look to the other family members for clues. I see that his parents are in the 1930 census on Ancestry.com, so they have lived long enough that there is probably an obituary for them. And I see that there are six or seven siblings to research. Look at each of them: was an obituary published for them? You can try href="http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=kDILR5MB3OY&offerid=145147.10000004&type=3&subid=0" >NewspaperArchive.com or GenealogyBank.com for online newspapers. Are there estate records for them?

The family was in Ohio and Indiana (and best of all, in Allen County, the home of the premier US public library for genealogy) and you state that the grandfather was in Nevada.

Check newspaper reports in each of these locations (and wherever else the family may have lived; this includes Vincent's siblings). An obituary may have been published for Vincent ("Ohio newspapers please copy") or a social note may have appeared for one of his sibs: "We are sad to learn that the brother of Mrs. Henry Smith, V. A. Hipp, has been killed in Someplace. Mrs. Smith will be travelling to Someplace Else to be with her parents at this time.")

Check estate records for Vincents parents, siblings, and grandparents. There may have been a distribution of assets wherein the attorneys recorded how they notified the family - and who they notified.

And look at real estate transactions. The children of Andrew and Catherine may have inherited property from their grandparents: that land may have later been sold to one of the sibs, and all had to sign.

I see a number of books published about Goldfield history; some mention of Grandfather or Vincent may give you further clues.

The LDS have a book - Esmeralda County Records (Nona Parkin) which has newspaper notices from 1864 - 1983. There are also microfilms of deeds until 1908. and Contracts, assignments of mortgages, etc. Also see Esmeralda County Auditor/Recorder for their services. Huron County Ohio is also well represented (e.g. probate records 1851 - 1967). Likewise Allen County Indiana.

Good luck!

Death Records can help prove relationships

George & Jenny's Question:

My gggranfather eLemuel Dawson b. abt 1827 OH, d. 20 May 1890 buried Maple Grove Cemetery Berrien Co., MI.
Quit claim deeds with the following names.
Starting with the 1850 census of Sarah Dawson 47 PA widow, in
Kankaee,La Porte Co IN

Group #5
Enoch & Permelia Dawson—Richland, Richland Co Wis.
Daniel & Elizabeth Dawson—Berrien Co Mich

Group # 6
Elemuel & Matilda Dawson—Berrien Co Mich
Milly A & Greenburg King—Berrien Co Mich
Mathias & Elizabeth Dawson—Clinton Co IN
By their attorney in fact of Berrien Co Mich--Daniel Dawson
All the people who purchased this land have Dawson connections
Sold by group 5 to George Dawson Feb 17 1884 Book 10 54/116
Sold by group 6 to Mary Ann Miller Feb 26 1884 Book 10 54/118
Sold by group 6 to Ella G Dawson Feb 26 1884 Book 10 54/119
Ones that was a bit different
Sold by Dawson (Benjamin, Lemuel, Ewell, Millie) to Ella Dawson 5 April 1884
stating they were heirs of Ewell Dawson Book 10 54/115
And going back to 1851 when there is another quit claim deed that involves
most of the Dawson siblings… there is this one…
Sold by Enoch Dawson, Uel Dawson Lemuel & Angeline Dawson, to James C
Cunningham on June 16 1851 Book2W/467-468

I beleive Sarah was eLemuel's mother, but have NO idea who her husband was?

Ask Olive Answer George & Jenny - You know that Lemuel (or is it Elemuel?) Dawson was buried in Michigan in 1890. Have you located the relevant census records for him? It is difficult for me to tell if you have.

It appears very tempting to assign Enoch, Daniel, Matthias, etc as siblings based on those quit claims, but further proof is required. There are a number of historical newspapers online which may have carried an obituary for Lemuel; and for his wife, if you know who she is and when she died. I suggest you try Newspaper Archives or GenealogyBank for their newspapers. Search Obituaries in GenealogyBank.com or NewspaperArchive.com

The Berrien County Genealogical Society may also be able to assist. Tracing Lemuel and his wife through census and marriage records may lead to other connections with the individuals listed in those deeds. Have you looked for obituaries, death records or burial records for those potential siblings?

Looking for a Civil War Soldier's Death

Elizabeth's Question:

Perhaps you could help me. My great-great-grandfather was George Backman a Civil War soldier. The family farm was in Palmer in Pennsylvania but I can't find him there. I know that he was living after 1880 but I loose [sic] track of him after that. His daughter married a Wilson (my line)

Olive Tree Answer: Dear Elizabeth - There is an obituary in the AccessPA necrology database for a George Bachman of Easton Pennsylvania, which mentions a daughter Mrs James Wilson.

Finding Proof of Unsubstantiated Family Trees

Robin asked

I'm trying to research an ancestor in New York. I've been given the information that he was born in Ireland in 1812. He died in New York (possibly NYC) on March 9, 1897. His name is Robert Graham and he married a woman named Jane. They had a daughter named Elizabeth, who was born in New York,November, 1845 and died in Oakland, CA, May 1906. But, I unfortunately don't have any documentation to prove any of this information. I'd like to know the best way to follow up on the documentation for this information? What do you suggest as the next step? Thank you, in advance, so very much for your help!!!!

Olive Tree Answer: Robin, it sounds like you have family lore or a family tree you found online. Since you have dates of birth (unproven) and death (also unproven) you have several census years you can search for verification of names and ages

The first census you should find Elizabeth on is 1850, then 1860, 1870, 1880, and one more in 1900 before she died. I like to use Ancestry.com for census records.

You can also search California Death Records for her death. You can order California Birth or Death Certificates Online from VitalChek back to July 1, 1905

Once you have established the family group (Elizabeth and her parents and siblings) plus approximate years and locations of birth, you can branch out to other source documents.

Finding Records for a Death at Sea

Terry asked:

How do I find the record of an Uncle who died from measles and was buried at sea while travelling from Austria/Ukraine to Canada with his mother and younger sister. This could be around 1912-1914. He was around 5 years old. Is there somewhere that it would be recorded?

Olive Tree Answer: Hi Terry. Deaths at sea were recorded on the passenger manifest. It may be noted beside your uncle's name on the passenger list, or it may be noted on the last page of the full manifest. Have you checked the incoming Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935 for your family? The link takes you to the Ancestry indexed lists. Then you can decide whether to view the actual image on Ancestry or go to Library & Archives Canada website to view the image there.

Finding an elusive ancestor in Canada

Beth wrote to ask:

I am looking for a great Aunt, I believe she lived in Petersburg/ Peterborough .She was born Annie Bench, 1887 in Chorley, Lancashire, parents William Bench and Anne Burnett, married Mr. Friend and moved to Canada - somewhere. She visited New Zealand after 1945, she believed in Faith Healing and died of cancer, Faith did not cure it !! Hope you can help.

Olive Tree Answer: Hello Beth. How sure are you that your Annie married a Mr. Friend? I ask because a search of the OCFA (Ontario Cemetery Finding Aid) for Peterborough turns up the burial of Annie Mary Field nee Bench, wife of William Field. (Could your Mr. Friend be Mr. Field?) I also note that in the England 1901 census Annie is listed as "Annie M" Could the middle initial M stand for Mary?

She is buried in Little Lake Cemetery, Monaghan North Township, Peterborough County. You can send for the complete tombstone inscription by visiting the OCFA website and making note of the source information, then going to their page which explains who holds those records and how to obtain them.

Jacques Van Slyke's Death - Murder or Natural Causes?

Don asked:

I'm trying to determine the cause of death of your ancestor Jacques Van Slyke in late 1690. I have reason to believe he might have been murdered. You need not go into a lengthy response as I am an avid student of that time and its Schenectady inhabitants. I have scoured most other sources for this information already. Being a descendant, you may have deeper knowledge of the massacre and any part your ancestors played in it after the fact.

Olive Tree Answer: Hi Don, What a fascinating question you have posed!

When I wrote my book The Van Slyke Family in America: A Genealogy of Cornelise Antonissen Van Slyke, 1604-1676 and his Mohawk Wife Ots-Toch, including the story of Jacques Hertel, 1603-1651, Father of Ots-Toch and Interpreter to Samuel de Champlain, the only reference I found to Jacques' death was as follows and is noted in my book:

Jacques Cornelissen Van Slyke was at Albany on May 18, 1690

"lying....sick abed" [Source: Mohawk Frontier: The Dutch Community of Schenectady New York 1669 - 1710 by Thomas E. Burke Jr. 1991:199]

Jacques may have been sick the previous fall,but he testified against Robert Livingston on 1 April 1690 and was not noted as being in ill health at that time. He also traveled, apparently back to the Netherlands and home to Albany prior to May 1690. However he died soon after, having made his will on the 8th day of May 1690Source: The Van Slyke Family in America....

Yates states that Jacques died of pulmonary disease, but does not give his source for this. Jacques' will begins

"In the name of God, Amen. Know all men whom it may concern, that on this eighteenth of May anno sixteen hundred and ninety, at Albany, being in the second year of the reign of William and Mary, King and Queen of Great Britain, Jaques Comelisse van Slyck, residing at Schennechtady, lying here in the city aforesaid Sick abed....."

I'm very curious about your statement that Jacques may have been murdered and hope you will share whatever you found.

Help Finding an Ancestor's Death in United Kingdom

Linda asks:

my Great grandmother, Johanna nee Mullins married name Costa, born 1867, in UK , married Samuel Abraham Costa, 1888, had my grandmother 1888 DEC 26Th. Samuel got married in 1893 again, saying he was a widower, but can not find any death dates for Johanna. married in st James church 1888, lived at one time bethnal green, stepney and whitechapel in London UK, can you solve this puzzle thank you for trying too.

Olive Tree Answer Hi Linda, I wonder if you have found your Johanna Costa (nee Mullins) in the 1891 census for England? If you have, then you know she died between 1891 and 1893, which narrows your timeline for hunting quite a bit. If you found Samuel but without Johanna, then you know she died between 1888 and 1891.

Next, I would search the indexes to Vital Statistics for United Kingdom online.

Ancestry.com has free indexes online for Deaths in the UK after 1839 but you can also use Free BMD. FreeBMD is an ongoing project to transcribe the Civil Registration index of births, marriages and deaths for England and Wales. As they complete their transcriptions they turn them over to Ancestry.com. There is no charge for using the indexes at either site.

If you find a birth, marriage or death record for an ancestor, you can order the certificates online at General Register Office for England and Wales online ordering service.

Remember too that Johanna is one of those names that can be found in a variety of ways! Ann, Anna,Hannah, Johanne are the most common ways to find it recorded. So don't overlook those spellings when searching for your ancestor. Having said that, there is a Hannah Costa found in the death records indexes during the time period you specified. Take a peek and see if you think she might be your ancestor.

You might also like to read Ancestor Death Record Finder which might help researchers figure out where to find these records, from the rather obvious places to the more obscure.