I’m not sure how many folks know about this one but I thought I would share a recent find with you. Every now and then I will venture over to the Family Search website and check out what is happening. I recently discovered that there are quite a few new databases added at the Famiy Search Labs site. One of those databases is Texas Deaths, 1890-1976.
I have really gotten quite hooked in by this one! I’ve use the Texas Death Index at Ancestry but the database at Family Search Labs is so much better. Not only does it give the death date but in most cases it also gives the birth date, birth place, mother’s name and father’s name! It’s really quite awesome! Here’s an example of what I have found. I had found the birth certificates for a set of twins that my paternal grandmother gave birth to on June 14, 1927. There were no names so I just had them entered into my database as Unknown Spangler male and Unknown Spangler female. I assumed they must have both died at birth and that was that. While searching Texas Deaths, 1890-1976 I found a death certificate for the female that was dated August 16, 1927. So I now know that the girl lived 1 month and 2 days and that her name was Gladys Rose Spangler!
How heart-broken my grandmother must have been! Perhaps this is what lead to her adopting a child. I always wondered about why they adopted when she was only 20 years old but perhaps now I know the answer. She was blessed about 15 months later with another set of twins (a boy and a girl) and, of course, the rest is history. My dad was one of those twins born in 1928!
If you have ancestors in Texas, you owe it to yourself to check this new database out. There are also many more great databases to choose from and I am really starting to hang out a lot more around the Family Search website. You probably will also!
Have a great week everyone!
[...] 4 May 2008 by Ruth Stephens I was reading a post at Beyond Fiction, in which Ken discussed finding the death records at FamilySearch Labs’ Texas Deaths, [...]
[...] useful in my research. That may mean that I will occasionally mention a new database, such as an article I recently posted on the Family Search Labs site. I will also continue to try to contribute to the Carnival of [...]