Upcoming Lecture - Pope County Death Records

Earlier this year I published the Death Records of Pope County from 1877 to 1915.  Come to the Historical Society Museum in Golconda on Tuesday evening, October 25th at 6 p.m. to learn about the hidden gems of information I found while transcribing these valuable records.

At the meeting, you will learn new facts not only about the deaths of Pope Countians, but about their origins, about the lives they led, and about the county itself. If you have roots in Pope County, you will find the book extremely valuable. There are hints at family migrations and connections, information about the county's cemeteries, causes of death, names of family members, interesting tidbits about the county and its people, sad stories, and perhaps best of all, some mysteries just begging for further research!

The registration of birth and death records in Illinois officially began in 1878, though there are a few records from 1877. Though far from complete in the early years, the records that do exist are extremely valuable. An online index to these records exists at the Illinois Secretary of State website though it includes only a few categories of information and is far from comprehensive. The death registers are books in which deputies were supposed to record the information from the original certificates. (Spoiler Alert: Not everything made it in the books!)

In 2021 and 2022, I carefully transcribed the records from the death registers and then carefully compared those entries with the actual death certificates on file in the County Clerk's office. In many cases there was MUCH additional information on the certificates themselves. In the book, I noted all discrepancies between the two records. The project was an amazing experience and at the meeting, I will reveal many of the interesting facts I uncovered about the county and its people.

Come out and see what you might learn. The hardbound book which sells for $65 will be available for purchase at the meeting as well.

The image here is of the death certificate of my 3rd-great-grandfather William Wiley Brush, a veteran of the 6th Illinois Cavalry. You will note that the certificate provides his exact county of birth in Tennessee (Benton County). If you only look at the website or the death register book, you would only learn he was born in Tennessee. The website gives his age as "69." The death register states he was "69 years, 6 months" old. But with the actual death certificate information, you can calculate his precise date of birth - 29 September 1839!  Which would you rather have? This is just an example of the information on the certificates themselves. In genealogy, always try to get the information from the original record. See my blog - "Is Your Source a Copy of a Copy?" - for more on this subject! https://www.backstorybloodhound.com/is-your-source-a-copy-of-a-copy

It is also fascinating to know that on foreign births (such as German provinces), an actual town of birth is often provided on the certificate itself. This was not carried over into the death register!

If you need help accessing original records in southern Illinois, western Kentucky, or southeast Missouri, click on the Services tab above to learn more about what Backstory Bloodhound can provide.

I hope to see you in Golconda on Tuesday, October 25th at 6 p.m.!