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A Hunt for Michigan Death Records

How do you document the death of an ancestor? We usually search for five different records:

  1. Death certificate
  2. Obituary
  3. Cemetery Record
  4. Funeral Home Record
  5. Funeral Card

In an effort to be thorough with this, I have sought to find these five records for the couple I am researching this year, John Davis Riddle and his wife Olive Hall Dunbar. I have not had complete success with this.

Both John and Olive died in Mendon, Michigan. He passed away in 1896 and she in 1902. So far, I have collected these records:

John Davis Riddle

  1. Although Michigan began keeping state death records in 1867, compliance was low until 1897. The state does not have a record of John Davis Riddle’s death. St. Joseph County, however, kept their own records, and his death is listed on the county register. The record provides age; date, place, and cause of death; state of birth; occupation; and parents’ names. John Davis Riddle’s parents were Unknown.
  2. I have not located an obituary for John Davis Riddle. Years ago, the Mendon library told me that back issues of the local newspaper had burned. Surrounding community newspapers reported his death because he died at his own hand, but these accounts did not include biographical or funeral information.
  3. The Mendon library told me the Mendon Cemetery records also had burned. I do have a photograph of his cemetery marker.
  4. Without a death certificate or an obituary, I do not know the name of the funeral home that conducted his funeral.
  5. Because he died by suicide, I do not know what type of funeral or memorial service he had. Relatives back in Michigan do not have a funeral card.

Olive Hall Dunbar Riddle

  1. I have Olive Riddle’s death certificate from the State of Michigan.
  2. Again, I have no obituary because back issues of the local newspaper were destroyed in a fire.
  3. Cemetery records were also destroyed in a fire. As with John, I have a photograph of her cemetery marker.
  4. The death certificate provides the name of the funeral home, [?] & Shoemaker. I am attempting to locate their successor in interest and their records.
  5. I have not located anyone who has saved a funeral card for Olive.

It appears I have done all I can to document these deaths unless I can track down the funeral home that made their final arrangements. I was disappointed that neither death record listed the names of parents. Luckily, family papers provided me with the names of Olive’s mother and father, Rhoda Hall and Benjamin E. Dunbar. No one has any information on John’s family, and this makes him one of our brick wall ancestors.

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