August 19, 2010
“Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar, all who love obits stand up and holler!”
That is probably not the way you heard that cheer – but genealogists sure do love obituaries.
I came across this obituary for Louise Cloutier (1789-1889).
It was published in the 13 November 1889 issue of the Daily Inter-Ocean newspaper.
Born in Canada in 1789, she died 100 years later in Chicago.
Click here to read the entire obituary.
What information and clues do we get from this obituary?
1. Name
2. Place and year of birth
3. Name of the cemetery
4. Date & place of the funeral & burial
5. Names of her 3 living children – where they lived and their position in the birth order of the children
6. Names of the towns where she had lived & how long she lived there
7. Age of husband at his death and how long ago that was
8. Details on the longevity of her father (110 years) and grandfather (90 years)
9. Count of her descendants – by generation
10. Best of all: her picture as rendered in a wood-cut engraving.
GenealogyBank your best source for old newspapers on the planet!
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