<< Analyzing Family Members & Birth Dates
Digging Up Deaths
Clues to death dates may also be found in the early census records. The 1830 U.S. Census, for example, lists Anna Alcott (mother of Amos) as head of household with Wd. (for widow) after her name. From this, we know that Joseph Alcott died sometime between the 1820 and 1830 census (he actually died in 1829). Using the age bracket method for the wife/spouse for each census year may reveal the death of one wife and marriage to another. This is generally just guesswork, but look for instances when her possible age jumps between one census and the next, or when the age of the wife makes here too young to be the mother of all the children. Sometimes you'll find young children who appear to disappear between one census and the next. This could mean they were just living elsewhere at the time of the census, but it could also indicate that they died.
