Author: Kenneth R Marks

Who gave permission for your ancestor to be cremated? The answer might reveal a family connection you never knew existed. Unlike traditional burials, cremation generally requires specific authorization before the remains can be cremated. The resulting documents may identify the deceased, the person granting permission, their relationship to the deceased, and the funeral home or […]

What if your ancestor was buried in one cemetery—but their remains were later moved somewhere else? A missing grave, conflicting burial locations, or two cemetery records for the same person may not be a mistake. The explanation could be a disinterment. When human remains are removed from an existing burial place, an official disinterment permit […]

An ancestor’s death may have generated a court document listing family members you never knew existed. When someone died leaving property or an estate requiring administration, a petition might be filed with a probate court. These petitions may identify the deceased, their residence, surviving spouse, children, heirs, and the person seeking authority to administer the […]

An autopsy report may reveal more than the medical cause of an ancestor’s death. These reports document a postmortem examination and may contain details about the deceased’s identity, medical history, injuries, and circumstances surrounding death. Although autopsy reports are primarily medical documents, they can sometimes help explain an unexpected death, identify a previously unknown condition, […]

What if the death certificate you found contains information that someone later corrected? Death records are not always final when first registered. Errors in names, dates, parentage, or other details may be discovered after filing, resulting in an official amendment. An amendment may identify the information that was changed, the person requesting the correction, and […]

Thanks to a partnership of the Minnesota Historical Society, Kungliga biblioteket (National Library of Sweden), the American Swedish Institute, and the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center at Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois, many historic Swedish American Newspapers are now available to search online. The newspapers are located on the Minnesota Historical Society’s website and are both browsable […]