What could you discover in a death certificate?

•Names: You might find the name of the deceased, his or her spouse, parents, children and sometimes other relatives. You can even find maiden names. •Cause of death: This may indicate a family medical history. If the death was suspicious, look for a coroner’s report, newspaper articles and court records that can tell you more. •Place of birth: This can lead to a birth record or another trail to follow. Details on a death certificate can help support theories or suggest next steps in your research, though they aren’t always easy to come by. If you can’t find the death certificate you’re looking for, search local newspapers for an obituary or try tombstones, church documents or funeral home records. (Ancestry.com)

March Meeting

Just a reminder to let you know that our next AHSGR Intermountain Chapter meeting will be March 17, 2012, at noon at the home of Shawnette Malan and Carol Harless, 10001 Hook Drive, South Jordan. Everyone will bring food to share and we will eat during the meeting. Everyone should also bring something (preferably from Utah) to put into the basket our chapter will provide for the Silent Auction at the Portland convention.

The "WHY" of the Story

This has been my mantra for several years...filling in the story so that you can understand the "WHY". I borrowed these helpful tips from ancestry.com. I hope they will be of help to you as well. It’s easier to understand why when you see a person’s actions against the backdrop of history. And the best way to do that in your own family tree is to plot your discoveries on a timeline. Step 1: Start with the facts. Create a simple timeline with pen and paper or a word-processing document. Add basic information you know about a relative and his or her immediate family. Jot down names, dates, places and key events in chronological order. Add details from census records, family stories and any records you find at home. Step 2: Add history and supporting records. Give your timeline context by adding historical events. Include big ones that may have affected your ancestors and smaller ones specific to your family. Use these events to help you find additional records like draft cards, newspaper articles, yearbooks, obituaries or city directories. Step 3. Analyze. Look at your timeline. Does everything add up? Gaps and inconsistencies can show where and when to look for records. For example, a widow with a six-year-old child in 1910 is an invitation to look for the husband’s death certificate between 1904 and 1910.