how to research obituaries
DESCRIPTION
How to use obituaries to research your deceased family members. This PowerPoint presentation demonstrates how to search for genealogy information in the newspaper obituary records of your departed relatives.TRANSCRIPT
Obituaries: Getting all the clues
Thomas Jay KempThomas Jay KempDirector, Genealogy ProductsDirector, Genealogy Products
NewsBank, inc. NewsBank, inc. 28 March 201228 March 2012
◦ Over 1 billion namesOver 1 billion names◦ Over 5,Over 5,850850 newspapers
All 50 statesAll 50 states 1690 to today1690 to today
◦ Over 263,000 rare books Over 263,000 rare books & documents& documents
◦ 210 million 210 million obituaries & & death recordsdeath records
NewspapersNewspapers 5,850 & Growing! 1690-Today5,850 & Growing! 1690-Today
Obituaries - • Full name• Names of
relatives
• Name of cemetery
• Name of clergy and their denomination
Obituaries - • Full name• Names of
relatives• Date, place and
cause of death
• Name of cemetery
• Name of clergy and their denomination
Obituaries - • Full name• Names of
relatives• Date, place and
cause of death• Date and place
of birth
• Name of cemetery
• Name of clergy and their denomination
Obituaries - • Full name• Names of
relatives• Date, place and
cause of death• Date and place
of birth• Date and place
of marriage
• Name of cemetery
• Name of clergy and their denomination
Obituaries - • Full name• Names of
relatives• Date, place and
cause of death• Date and place
of birth• Date and place
of marriage
• Name of cemetery
• Name of clergy and their denomination
• Occupation• Education• Social groups
Let’s see a typical obituary -
Charlotte Observer (North Carolina) 30 November 1920, page 13.
Find the ancestral home town -
Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana) 26 April 1893, page 4.
Can be printed across the country -
San Francisco Bulletin (California) 23 October 1874, page 2.
Printed in another language
El Continental (El Paso, Texas) 20 January 1959, page 3.
Or in long lost styles & syntax -
Boston News Letter (Massachusetts) 30 April 1705, page 2
Or in long lost styles & syntax -
Providence Patriot (Rhode Island) 18 September 1822, page 3
Or in long lost styles & syntax -
Providence Patriot (Rhode Island) 18 September 1822, page 3
Or in long lost styles & syntax -
Providence Patriot (Rhode Island) 18 September 1822, page 3
Or in long lost styles & syntax -
Providence Patriot (Rhode Island) 18 September 1822, page 3
What do you have on Grace (Toms) Stewart – who was born and married in Stamford, CT?
What do we know about her?
Her maiden name: Grace TomsBorn: abt1896 in Stamford, CTSpouse: Charles StewartOther: “Toms” family lived/died in Stamford area.
Search for Grace Stewart = Over 3,500 hits
Just Recent Obituaries = 167 hits
Search for Grace Stewart = Over 3,500 hits
Just Recent Obituaries = 167 hits
Limit to CT only = None
New Search for Grace Stewart Adding “Stamford” to theExtra search terms box
Just One Obituary
Grace M. Stewart, 93, …. died of pneumonia Feb. 1 at the Collingswood Nursing …Center, Rockville, MD
“…a native of Stamford, Conn. …”
“Her husband, Charles Stewart, died in 1920.”
Washington Post – 4 Feb 1992
Can You Read This?i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg.
The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr theiproamtnt ltteres in a wrod are, the olny tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm.
Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!
◦ Over 1 billion namesOver 1 billion names◦ Over 5,850 newspapersOver 5,850 newspapers
All 50 statesAll 50 states 1690 to today1690 to today
◦ Over 263,000 rare books Over 263,000 rare books & documents& documents
◦ 210 million obituaries & 210 million obituaries & death recordsdeath records
GenealogyBank.com
We have never had this level of access before