A Death Certificate is a great way to find a lot of vital information on your relatives. Each state has a different method for obtaining a copy of death certificates. Compared with other states, Minnesota has one the most simple methods. The Minnestoa Historical Society has an online index where you can search for death records by name, date, and location. Once you find a result you are given some basic vital information such as Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Mother’s Maiden Name, Date of Death, County of Death, and a Certificate Identification Number.
Once you have the Certificate Identification Number you may order a copy from the Minnesota Historical Society for around nine dollars. Or you may visit the Minnesota Historical Society Library and locate the Death Certificate on their microfilm.
As you can see from the Death Certificate above, there is all kinds of data geneologists find valuable. With every new clue you find, several new routes may be opened to direct your research.
One of the most elusive pieces of information found in the Death Certificate for George Alden Pierce was his Mother’s Maiden name, DeGroth, before this Death Certificate I only knew her by her married name, Cindy Pierce.
The exact birth date of 4 June 1877 is also helpful, because most birth dates deducted from census records provide only an approximate date of birth.
The location of burial, Oak Hill Cemetery, is very useful, since the location may be visited to see who has been buried in nearby plots.
The date of death, 2 June 1951, provides a reference point to begin searching local newspapers for obituaries, where more detailed personal stories are often found.
If you have ancestors from Minnesota, visit the death certificates index on the Minnesota Historical Society website to see how easy it is to begin researching genealogy.
This post could not be more factual.
Thanks Girls, I try to be accurate and thorough.