Clarifying Clara: Analysis of A Death Certificate



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Clarifying Clara: Analysis of A Death Certificate

The goal of the genealogist, as some readers already know, is to collect as much paper as possible. The 
"genealogy game" is won by the person whose paper collection is the largest. 

This comment is only partially in jest. The goal of the genealogist should be to collect as much information 
as possible, analyze that information thoroughly, weigh the accuracy of that information, consider the original 
source from which the information came, and reach reasonable conclusions based upon that evidence. 
Consequently, whenever a researcher obtains any document, that document should be analyzed for clues 
to other records. 

I obtained the death certificate of Clara Ettie Lake, who died in Bevier, Macon County, Missouri, on 14 
March 1921 at the age of fifty- three years. For the purposes of this article, I'll pretend that the only 
information I have on Clara is what is contained in the death certificate. In summary, the certificate provided 
the following information: 

Born: 25 October 1867, Macon County, Missouri 
Died: 14 March 1921, Bevier, Macon County, Missouri
Buried: 16 March 1921, Oakwood Cemetery 
Name of Clara's widower Grandville Lake 
Name of Clara's parents and their places of birth: Wm. Rhodus, Kentucky; Matilda Jones, Kentucky 
Cause of death: pneumonia 
Informant: Grandville Lake 

Obituary
I should determine what newspapers are available in and around Bevier. Even if Bevier has a paper, 
newspapers in nearby towns should also be referenced for slightly different obituaries. It may also be 
helpful to check the newspaper in the county seat as well. The obituary may provide additional information 
about Clara. 

Probate/Will 
I'll look for a probate or will in the county where Clara died, but if one is not located, I will not be surprised. 
During the time period under study, a woman who dies with a surviving spouse is not as likely to have an 
estate settlement as one who dies after surviving her husband. There are exceptions, but the lack of a 
probate or will would not be surprising. 

Cemetery 
The tombstone for Clara may not provide any information for Clara beyond what was already obtained on the 
death certificate. However, Clara's stone may provide information on her husband if they are buried together, 
particularly his dates of birth and death. This information will facilitate access to those records. There may 
be other family members buried near Clara as well, either children or other family members. When Clara's 
stone is located, nearby gravestones should also be read. The certificate lists the cemetery only as 
"Oakwood," not providing a more specific location. Bevier is the place to begin looking for Oakwood 
cemetery since that is where Clara died, where the widower was living and what the undertaker listed as his 
address. In some cases, details like this will be omitted from a record. The omission is usually done because 
all the parties immediately involved in the burial already knew where the cemetery was -- so why bothering 
noting it on the record? 

Undertaker Records? 
The undertaker is listed as an H.G. Edwards of Bevier. I doubt if the funeral home is still in existence under 
the same name. It is possible that current funeral homes in the area have the old records. If the funeral home 
does not exist today, I would exhaust other records before extensively pursuing this lead. 

Census
Census work should begin with the most recent census and work back. For Clara, this would be the 1920 
census. The search for Clara in census records should begin in Bevier, Macon County, Missouri, and 
expand from there if she is not initially located. According to the death certificate, Clara was born in Macon 
County and it is likely she lived there her entire life. Locating Clara in census records with her husband may 
allow us to estimate her date of marriage to Grandville Lake, thus facilitating access to those records. 

Since the names of Clara's parents are known (or are at least stated on the death certificate), the researcher 
may wish to locate the family in the 1870 census (the first one in which Clara should be listed) and later 
census records as well. Before extensive research is conducted on William and Matilda Jones Rhodus (the 
parents of Clara) research should be fairly complete on Clara. Complete research on Clara may provide 
additional information on her parents and making our research of the parents easier. Clara's family was 
located in the 1870 and 1880 Missouri Census for Macon County. The 1870 census listing in Macon County, 
Missouri is consistent with Clara's birth there in 1867. However, the family's residence in Macon County 
three years after Clara's birth does not absolutely guarantee she was born there. 

According to Clara's death certificate, her father was born in Kentucky. According to her father's 1880 census 
entry he was born in Tennessee. Each record could easily be incorrect. William Rhodus' son-in-law, Grandville 
Lake was the certificate's informant and might have known little about William's early life. Census records can 
easily be incorrect. Locating additional records on William Rhodus will be necessary, but research on William 
should be held off until more work has been done on Clara. 

Primary or Secondary? 
We have used a great deal of the details on the death certificate in an attempt to locate additional information 
on Clara Lake and her family. It is important to remember what information on the certificate is primary and 
what information on the certificate is secondary. The death certificate is a primary source for information on 
Clara's death and burial as these events took close to the time the document was recorded and the 
informants very likely had first hand knowledge of the information. The death certificate is a secondary 
source for information on Clara's birth and her parents as the document was recorded fifty-three years after 
Clara's birth and the informant likely did not have first-hand knowledge of the birth itself. As new records on 
Clara are obtained the details contained in these new records should always be compared with the 
information already obtained in order to determine what consistencies and inconsistencies arise. There will 
always be inconsistencies---it is a simple fact of research. The problem is in deciding just how inconsistent 
the inconsistencies are. 

Clara's death certificate might have been her last record, but it is just the beginning of our research.



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