Death Records Now

Obituaries offer a wealth of information about your family. They have important facts about the deceased and important dates that you can use to piece together clues about the history of your family. Here’s how you can find details to research from obituaries.

We all think differently and we all have different ways of processing information, which makes genealogy and ancestry research very confusing. Different historians and different family members keep records in different ways so sometimes finding the facts you need to piece together a family history are elusive.

There are thousands of databases out there claiming to have the answers, but in reality if you are disorganized, those databases are only going to make the confusion worse. And to top it off repetition in names, facts and even certain dates can cause further confusion. To clear up the confusion, here is the basic guideline of what to look for in an obituary and how to keep it all organized.

Searching for Clues in Obituaries

An obituary is the final record of a person’s life, information is included that can lead you to some amazing discoveries about your family. When you look at an obituary it is important that you pinpoint those bits of information and make a note of them. First read the obituary through once or twice just to get an idea of the information included. Then underline the important pieces of information. Read it over again to make sure you underlined everything of importance. Here are the things you will want to look for in an obituary:

• The deceased’s full name
• Age
• Gender
• Date of birth
• Date of death
• Place or City of Residence
• Occupation
• Military Service
• Church Affiliation
• Life events
• Awards or Accomplishments
• Names of survivors
• Place where funeral or memorial service is held
• Place of internment

Maximizing the Genealogical Value of Obituaries

Once you’ve read and reread the obituary and you’ve underlined the important pieces of information, the next step is to organize the information in a way you can access later and have a complete understanding of what it is you found important. You can download forms for free that can help you research genealogical clues from obituaries at Obituarieshelp.org

The first thing to do is copy down the information point by point. Then make notes about each point.

Questions to ask yourself as you go through each point are:

• What information does this clue provide?
• What public or historical records exist that will provide further information?
• Where can I find those records?

The notes you make about each point can be anything related to genealogy research:

• Personal notes – maybe you were reminded about a conversation you had with a relative about this point.
• Family history notes – maybe another ancestor was a member of the same organization.
• Notes about what you’ll want to research about this information – perhaps you want to look up how long this person was a member of this organization.
• Where records that expand on this information might exist – make notes as to where you can find the answers to your questions.

Other notes might include tidbits of information from:

• Phone book
• City business directory
• Internet
• Church directory
• School databases

Taking the time to go through obituaries carefully can go a long way to helping you find clues to your family history and connecting you to your ancestors and relatives. Names, places, and dates are just the starting point. There is so much to learn from obituaries, but you have to read between the lines. Not all the information will be there ready for you to see, you’ll have to do a little digging and a little research. Making notes and keeping your notes organized will help you get the information you are looking for.

Melanie Walters

With some help from this site I was able to find my Great Grandfather William P Jones in the 1920 Census (thanks Ted Pack). And using free sites recomended from another site I was able to find them in the 1910 Census. And also found a possible death Certificate for him!! But now I am stuck and have a few more questions.

Below is the Death Cetificate I found. Acording to my aunt he lived in Puyallup when he died wich was before she was born so she is not 100% sure but is sure my Grandmother jane died in Puyallup in the 40’s. So this looks like it may be him. I wrote to the Puyallop library and they could not find a Obit for him. I also wrote to the Pierce county library and am awaiting a responce. So my Question is am I on the right track here? Is there another way to verify this record? My hope was that a Obit would contain more info and hopefully confirm that this is my G Grandfather and maybe give some more information as to my family history.

Name: William P. Jones
Death Date: 10 Nov 1929
Death Place: Puyallup, Pierce, Washington
Gender: Male
Race (Displayed on Form):
Age at Death: 73 years 7 months 18 days
Estimated Birth Year: 1856
Birth Date:
Birth Place:
Marital Status: Married
Spouse’s Name: Jane Jones
Father’s Name: James Jones
Father’s Birth Place:
Mother’s Name: Griffits
Mother’s Birth Place:
Occupation:
Street Address:
Residence:
Cemetery:
Burial Place:
Burial Date:
Additional Relatives:
Film Number: 2022645
Digital GS Number: 4222938
Image Number: 1776
Volume/Page/Certificate Number: 565

I also have noticed that the ages given in the 1910 and 1920 census do not match up. However in 1910 a Dosha Jones is listed along with a Martha Jones. My aunt verified that Dosha is her aunts name (my great aunt). I will copy the 2 census pages below could these be the same family even though the ages don’t mach up?

1920
Name: Jane Jones
Residence: , Lewis, Washington
Estimated Birth Year: 1876
Age: 44
Birthplace: Ohio
Relationship to Head of Household: Wife
Gender: Female
Race: White
Marital Status: Married
Father’s Birthplace: United States
Mother’s Birthplace: United States
Film Number: 1821933
Digital Folder Number: 4390969
Image Number: 00537
Sheet Number: 5
Household Gender Age
Spouse William P Jones M 56y
Jane Jones F 44y
Child Martha M Jones F 17y
Child George W Jones M 6y

1910
Name: Jane Jones
Birthplace: Ohio
Relationship to Head of Household: Wife
Residence: Prescott, Lewis, Washington
Marital Status: Married
Race : White
Gender: Female
Immigration Year:
Father’s Birthplace: Michigan
Mother’s Birthplace: Virginia
Family Number: 83
Page Number: 17
Household Gender Age
Spouse William Jones M 55y
Jane Jones F 43y
Child Dosha Jones F 11y
Child Martha Jones F 9y

I know this is a long winded question. And also that it has multiple questions in it. I just don’t know much as far as how to look stuff up and how to verify things that i do find.

Thanks
Ian

Ages in census records are frequently incorrect. I’d say you have the correct family. Since it says Dosha and Martha were born in Kansas, I would look for the family there in around 1900. Actually you did well to find the information you did. I just wasted 15 minutes with Ancestry’s "great new" search engine and couldn’t get the 1920 census at all.

A few other things I noticed that might help, his parents were from Wales and he and Jane were married in about 1896.

A Top Contributor, Wendy C in genealogy suggested I put this name out to see if anyone could help me find an obituary, cause of death , place of burial, or place of death as I have tried many avenues and can find nothing…Anthony J Vinnick,date of death Nov.9th 1992 date of birth Aug 28 1936 last residence Effort Pennsylvania/DOB may also be Sep 29 1935 but we are very sure this has been a recorded error
OH MY GOSH…i’m going to cry! I have tried so hard to find something with what little I know about websites etc. Your info has got to be right. Yes he has lived there also but all I have ever had is what Intelius has given me. I am from Canada I’ll see what I can do next. Any further info will be appreciated from any one. Thank you so so so so so MUCH!!!
Now what? Why can’t I type anything into the form for centrecountygenealogy…I’m lost again.

I’m in Texas, BUT have found him listed in an obituary index at this URL: www.eastonpl.org/ObitPDF/1992.pdf

The PDF displays this information:
Vinnick Anthony 11/11/1992 C-11 (meaning that his obituary was on page C-11 of the 11/11/1992 newspaper)

That website is for the Easton Area Public Library (515 Church Street, Easton, PA 18042 – 3587 phone 610-258-2917)

Perhaps you are in that area, or a phone call to the library could get further help. (The library’s website requires a local library card to search their online databases).

Best of luck, I hope that helps!

added later:
No need to cry, I’m just glad I could help! :o)
There is a newspaper in Easton called Easton Express-Times, but their obituary archives are only back to 2004 online. (see http://www.eastonpl.org/obituary_index.htm, they provide instructions on how to obtain actual copies of obituaries in the index).

Check out this site, it lets you submit a request to Pennsylvania Obituary Lookup Volunteers: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~obitl/volpa.html?cj=1&o_xid=0001177077&o_lid=0001177077

I think you’re almost there! Don’t EVER give up! :o)

what kind of information can you find on the social security death index?…I’m doing some family research and I was able to find my gg-grandfather’s ssdi, it has his birthday (dec. 25, 1860) and death-date (jun. 18, 1965) and where he died (Tulare, California), but nothing about the parents…other family member’s index’s have had something about parents on them, even if it’s the father’s surname or mother’s maiden…I also am having trouble finding a death certificate. Where would I look for that, and would his parent’s info for sure be on that?

I’ve been using Ancestry, Family Search Org, Roots web, and Family History Records data bases.
will it be my best bet to order the actual death certificate for his parent’s information?

The on-line SSDI has jus what you saw; name, birth date, death date, last residence and last benefeit, one of which may be th death place, and where the SSN was issued.

The SSN application, which costs $27, will have parents’ names, exact birth place, address and occupation at the time, and, for women, maiden name. Roots Web’s SSDI will format a letter to the SSA for you; click on "SS-5", print, add a check and wait 6 – 8 weeks.

The California Death Index, by Roots Web, has father’s surname and mother’s maiden name, sometimes. No SSDI I have seen has anything about parents. Some other death indicies do, most don’t.

birth raymond l leach st louis mo

Do you have any more clues?

I found this
Name: Raymond Edwin Leach
Social Security #: 556545319
Sex: MALE
Birth Date: 5 Jun 1906
Birthplace: Missouri
Death Date: 2 Jul 1995
Death Place: Sacramento

I am working on my family tree and I feel like I’ve hit a dead end with one pair of my great-great grandparents.

Their names were Nicholas Hoffman (I’m sure about that) and Christina Kovasavich (I’m not 100% sure about the first name).

I found this record on the California death index that I know to be correct:
Last: HOFFMAN
First: NICHOLAS
Gender: MALE
Birth Date: 06/03/1870
Death Date: 03/07/1961
Birth Place: WISCONSIN
Death Place (County): LOS ANGELES

They had a daughter named Angela Hoffman, who married Lloyd Franklin Saunders (whose ancestry is much easier to find).

I’ve looked everywhere–just can’t seem to find Nicholas Hoffman or a Christina Kovasavich. If you can help me out, I will greatly appreciate it!

WI OZAUKEE FREDONIA 1880 CENSUS
Anna Hoffmann 54 born Luxemburg, parents born Lux.
Nicholas Hoffmann 10 born Wis. parents born Lux.
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Nicholas Hoffman m. Anna Tackes in Luxembourg. Came to America around 1855-1860, settling in Fredonia, WI. Their Daughter Margaret or Margaretha b. 10/28/1853 Luxembourg, d. 8/5/1937, Fredonia WI. m. Abt 1868, Fredonia, WI, Nicholas Thill b. 12/24/1842 Luxembourg, d. 4/28/1921, Fredonia , WI. had the children: Peter Thill m. Appalonia, Susan, Catherine m. Mike Grolinger, John m. Catharine Smith, Anna m. John Krell, Mathias m. Theresa Krell, Nicholas m. Elizabeth Goschey, Mary m. John P. "Jemp" Goschey, Henry m. Magdolen Mayer, Joseph m. Mary Marie Dimmer.

They are mostly buried at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, Holy Cross, Ozaukee Cty., WI. If you have any information please contact me!!! http://www.geocities.com/ttg13
http://genforum.genealogy.com/cgi-bin/pageload.cgi?nicholas::hoffman::1319.html
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SD KINGSBURY OLDHAM 1910 Census
HOFFMAN NICHOLAS 41 M W WI married 19 years, parents born Germany
Nellie 42 Iowa, 7 children, 5 living, parents born Ireland
John E. 13 SD
Raymond F. 8 SD.
Elsie V. 6
Angeline B. 6 SD.
Mary A. 5 mos. SD
Mary Moriarity mother-in-law 88 Ireland, wd. 6 children, 4 living
John 40 bro-in-law wd. Iowa
Mary niece 9 SD
Annie A. niece 7 SD
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WI OZAUKEE FREDONIA 1910 Census
Mary Goschey 64 Germany widow, 12 children, farmer
Mike 30 Wisconsin
Lizzie 26 Wisconsin
John 22
John P. 20
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WI OZAUKEE FREDONIA TWP 1900 CENSUS
Peter Goschy 56 born March 1844 Germany, married 34 years, immigrated 1844, in US 56 years pa. farmer, parents born Germany.
Mary 54, born Nov. 1845 Germany, married 34 years, 14 chilren, 12 living, immigrated 1860, in US. 40 years, parents born Germany.
Michael 21, born April 1879 Wisconsin
Lizzie 16, born Aug. 1883 Wis.
John 12, born Oct. 1887 Wis.
John P. 10, born Jan. 1890 Wis.