Pennsylvania death certificates are available online

Pennsylvania State death certificates are available online now through Ancestry.com. The range available is 1906-1924. I lost half my morning already when I saw these were available!

I was surprised how few people I have who passed between these years but I did find some. Some admittedly I already had the hard copies. Some were like ... "wow!"

The death cert here at right for example is that of Martha Durkin O'Flaherty - my great-great grandmother. When I first got her certificate (it was one of the first I had actually ordered) I was so excited ... and so in despair! Her mom was a Murphy! A Murphy in Ireland ... that should be easy to find, right?

Martha Durkin and Dennis O'Flaherty had eight children. One of whom was Hugh O'Flaherty. Hugh married Katherine Dee and they had six children ... and now - thanks to this database - I have all but one of their names! Five of the six passed between 1906 and 1913, the oldest of whom was 9 years old at the time of death. One son, Dennis O'Flaherty, lived for 65 years and mom was close with those cousins growing up.

I can't wait to get some free time ... Monday maybe! ... to search the hubby's family. I typed in "Eckman" born in "Lancaster County, PA" and got over 2,500 results. And yes, I will be going through each one! Did so earlier with mom's Still line and had a surprise there as well.

I found a death certificate for a John S Still who died 6 May 1910. I have a John S Still who died on 7 May 1910. My John was 77 when he died, having been born in 1832. This John is 78 although his birth info is not known. My John was married to Edith Naylor but I do not know when she died. This John here is a widower. Sounds great, right?

Not my John. My John is buried at the Hephzibah Baptist Cemetery. This John is buried at Doe Run Presbyterian Cemetery - which incidentally is where a branch of my Stills are buried. The major difference/surprise though is ... this John is "colored". This opens up so many questions and a something to research for a future Mystery Monday!

If you have Ancestry.com, go to http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=5164.

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