Vital records are the backbone of genealogical research as far back as the 1850-to-1880 period; before that time, vital statistics were not generally recorded. The researcher should begin researching a family by obtaining the birth, marriage, and death certificates of each ancestor. In cases of difficult lines, the researcher should collect the certificates for everyone in the family.
Death certificates issued after about 1905 were recorded at the state level in a central repository, usually at the state capital's Bureau of Vital Statistics. The onset of statewide recording of vital statistics varied from state to state. The exact date for each state can be found in Ancestry's Red Book. Forms for ordering the certificates are available in Thomas J. Kemp's International Vital Records Handbook. Some states have excellent indexes to many of these records and are very helpful in securing certified copies of the certificates. Others, such as new York, have strict always prohibiting access to the records within a period of about 75 years, although a researcher can often obtain the certificates anyway from the local county to town clerk.
Before the onset of statewide recording, beginning whenever the county or town requested that vital records be kept, death records can be found in the Clerk's office in the county or town where y our ancestor died. In some states, these early records have been collected and deposited, and sometimes indexed, in the state archives.
Once you have received your ancestor's death certificate, it is important to make note of all of the pertinent facts shown. These include the following:
Name
The person's name (usually the full name) will be given, along with the date and place of death.
Age or Birth Date
Most certificates will also show the date and place (at least a state) of birth and/or an age at death. This information may enable you to find the person's birth record and pertinent census records and may lead you to the parents' names, even if they are not given on the death certificate.
Occupation
Often an occupation is provided, allowing you to distinguish between several people with the same name who live in a particular area.
Cause of Death
The cause of death is often recorded, along with the name of the attending physician and how long he had attended the deceased. This will give you an idea of how long the person had suffered from the illness, and by following the causes of death in your extended family, you may be able to tell what illnesses or disease you may be at risk for in the future.
Parents' Names
Later certificates and some earlier ones show the names of the parents and their places of birth. While the birthplaces are usually recorded only as the name of a state or country, some have the town name. Therefore, it is very important to collect the death certificates of all of the children of a couple for whom the origin is unknown. Even if your direct ancestor's certificate does not provide this information, his sibling's certificate may do so.
Informant's Name
Generally, an informant's name and address are given. The informant is the person who provided the information for the death certificate. Often this is a son or daughter or other close relative who has had direct contact with the deceased person for many years and who, therefore, is familiar with the deceased. However, the researcher must always bear in mind that the information show is only as good as the informant's knowledge of the individual and that the information was collected during a stressful time. It may be helpful to follow the liens of descent of an informant who is a child in the hope that you can find someone who has old family records (general information, photographs, bibles, letters, etc.) which would give you more information about your mutual ancestors.
Place of Burial
Usually the place of burial is shown. Sometimes it is different from the death place (as shown in the illustration accompanying this article) because the deceased was buried next to a previously-deceased spouse or in a family plot. In any case, it is wise to try to get an actual reading of the gravestone and to find out whether other relatives are buried nearby. The gravestone may give you clues as to the relatives, ancestors, spouse, and children of this person and may show the place of birth, even if it is not given on the death certificate. If you are having a difficult time finding a birthplace and parents' names, contact the cemetery's caretaker and request the burial records. Some cemeteries kept wonderful records which provide information not shown anywhere else.
Undertaker or Funeral Home Name
Often the name of an undertaker or funeral home is shown. As in the case of cemetery records, when you cannot find a birthplace or parents' names for someone, contact the undertaker or funeral home to see if his records include this information. If the business is no longer in existence, a present-day funeral home in the same town can often tell you where the records are now stored.
Kathi Sittner performs genealogical research projects for various clients. She has been doing genealogical research for twenty five years.
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