DEATH CERTIFICIATES

Death certificates can take us back many years and provide us a small gold mine of information. 

The information found on Amelia's death certificate takes us back into her family history in the late 1700th century. Sometime you find a family member who lives to be 90 plus. What a gift of information we have found. Whenever possible look for the brother or sister of your direct ancestor who lived to exceed 90 years old.

Name                 Amelia Thornburgh Gooch 

Birth date           4 Aug 1824, Jefferson County, Tennessee

Death date         6 Nov 1918, Granger County, Tennessee

Cemetery           Rutledge Cemetery

Father's Name    Ai Thornburgh of Tennessee

Mother's Name   Mary Lansdown of Tennessee

Look at all the information.  It also establishes the fact the Thornburgh Family was in Jefferson County, Tennessee in time for the 1830 census which may provide additional clues in trying to put the Thornburgh Family together.

Keep digging it is out there. Buy-the-way, this death certificate was found on FamilySearch.org. I did a surname only search on all Tennessee death certificares on line and to my surprise Amelia's showed up among all the other Thornburghs. Although Amelia married name is Gooch, Family Search has multible indexes set up to search records many different ways. The search picked up on Amelia's maiden name of Thornburgh. Wow, what a search engine we have at our finger tips.

Now with this information we can focus our search in and around Rutledge, Tennessee for additional family members who might be buried in local cemeteries.

FUNERAL HOME RECORDS

Funeral Home Records are a valuable tool in your research. Some states require that funeral homes keep a 3 x 5 card on each of the people they have at their home. Some local funeral homes may keep records over and beyond that which is required by law. Yes, a possible "Gold Mine" of information. Remember, you are a prospective customer so if you show up in person and they are not busy, you might get the royal treatment but if they are busy make an appointment to come back later. Small town funeral homes are more likely to keep additional information because it is their community and their friends.

  Another clue is the local funeral homes know where all the local cemeteries are and how to get to them.

  

If you mail a letter to the funeral home always include a self-addressed stamped envelope and maybe $5.00 for their time and effort in your request.  Always remember they do not have to give you the information you request but most of the time they will work with you.

Your link to finding a funeral home close to your home or your area research:   www.funeral-dir.com

    Funeral home records can usually be found in the public or genealogical library in the county where the funeral home is located. This is often overlooked but is a very valuable source in your research. The 3 x 5 card often kept by the funeral home is just full of clues, such as the date of your ancestor’s death or their parent’s names taht often appear along with a maiden name. A window to the past has just been opened. It should include a possible spouse, children and a place of burial too. The funeral home might even provide a map to the cemetery too. Some funeral homes keep a copy of the obituary paper clipped to the funeral card along with a death certificate. Please do not expect that all funeral homes go the extra mile but you never really know if you do not ask.

   Here is a "just because I asked" story. I was searching in Knoxville, TN  for ancestors and stopped at a local funeral home.   Well, one of the funeral home employees had a very interesting hobby. He took pictures of unique tombstones as he was at work after funeral services. Below is one he took of my Great-great-great-great Grandparents! Yes, that is my fourth Great Grandparents’ tombstone found on private property in a very old cemetery called Kidd Cemetery in Knox County, Tennessee. What are the odds, about a million to one if not more and that is on a very good day!

Remember – Rome was not built in a day but it was started in a day.

With funeral home records, death certificates and tombstones you should have a very good toe hold on your research.

LOOKING FOR DEAD PEOPLE

Genealogy Tech: Online Graveyards

This is a great time of year to visit your ancestors' final resting places. If you can’t go in person, an online graveyard can be a great alternative for both researching and remembering your ancestors' lives.


What is an online graveyard?
We use the term 'online graveyard' to refer to websites that put information from a cemetery on the Internet. Some of our favorites are http://www.findagrave.com for gravesite and cemetery photos, www.interment.net for lists of cemetery transcriptions, and www.namesinstone.com for cemetery records and maps. In addition, individual cemeteries may have their own websites, with photos, records, and maps.


Why are online graveyards valuable?
Online graveyards provide the opportunity to view cemetery records or gravestone information previously only available by visiting the cemetery in person. Online graveyards are great for those who are unable to travel, or for those who are planning to visit and want to get to know the cemetery and gravesite before they go. In addition, online resources can be very helpful if you don't know where your ancestor is buried, because you can conveniently explore multiple cemeteries in the area where your ancestor died or lived most of his/her life.


How can I find out if my ancestors are part of an online graveyard?
The simplest way to start is to go to an online graveyard website and search for your ancestor by name. If a name search doesn't work, try browsing cemeteries by location. Location searches are also useful for viewing others who are buried in the same cemetery as your ancestor. When you find your ancestors, many sites give you the option to upload photos to enhance the record or leave a virtual flower on the grave webpage.


How can I contribute?
Most online graveyards are fairly new, and many are incomplete. Thus, these websites are asking for volunteers to help by contributing information that ranges from a photo of a single grave to a transcription of an entire cemetery. Be sure to check each of the websites above to see how you can help. Also, check with your local Genealogy Society to find out if they are doing a cemetery project for an online graveyard.


How can I make the most of my cemetery research?
Whether you are walking through a cemetery literally or virtually, many of the same tips apply. Make sure you look at the graves around your ancestor's, because they might belong to other family members. Also, be sure to print out and/or bookmark the website for future reference, just as you would take pictures and make notes in a cemetery you were visiting in person.