Ohio Death/Burial Records

[Keith]

Hi,

Can anyone advise me whether it is possible (or indeed feasible) to seach for a death which took place in Ohio? I am based in the UK which makes research rather difficult.

The problem I have is that I do not know the exact date of death, only that it took place some time between 1841 & 1891, and the deceased is supposed to have been buried at Mineral Ridge, which is situated partly in Mahoning County and partly in Trumbull County.

I have been in contact with Youngstown City Health District who advise me that they only hold death records from 1892 onwards. I am still waiting for a reply from Warren City Health District, but I presume they will be the same?

I was advised to contact the Ohio Historical Center. After much faffing about I finally managed to find an email address for the OHC, but to date have not received a reply. Does anyone have a contact email address for the OHC which might work?

Regards,

Keith.

[shellyesq]

Ohio didn't require statewide vital registration until 1908, so there's a chance that what you're looking for may not exist.

The Ohio Historical Society has a toll-free phone number listed - http://www.ohiohistory.org/contact.html - I don't know if that would work outside the US.

Have you tried looking for this person on census records to narrow down the time frame of the death?  Some US census records and some Ohio records are available for free at www.familysearch.org.

Is the cemetery where the person is buried Kerr Cemetery in Mineral Ridge?  http://www.rootschat.com/links/0k7n/  If you haven't done so, you could try contacting them.  If that doesn't work, you could try adding a burial record to findagrave.com and request a photo.  Maybe the gravestone would have the date or year of death?

[Keith]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

I've checked all the available census returns but there is no definite sighting of him on any, and I've checked the records on Familysearch, again with no success.

As far as I know calls to toll-free numbers are charged for from the UK.

The information that the deceased, John Rowlands, is buried at Mineral Ridge comes from a short family history written in 1891 by his nephew, who also emigrated to the US. Sadly he doesn't give a date of death nor in which cemetery he is buried.

Unfortunately his name does not appear under Kerr Cemetery on Findagrave.

I think that my best chance of locating him might be though burial records or memorial inscriptions.

Regards,

Keith.

[shellyesq]

You can add a burial record to Find a Grave and then request a photograph.  From what I can tell from a Google search, that appears to be the only cemetery located in Mineral Ridge.  I've had some success with Find a Grave, although it usually took a while for the picture to get taken since it's on a volunteer basis. 

[Keith]

Thanks. I'll do as you suggest and see what happens. I think there may be a very small Welsh Baptist Cemetery as well in Mineral Ridge, but I don't think there are many burials there.

Regards,

Keith.

[Pangela84]

Dear Keith,

I did find some information via my Ancestry membership that may be useful.  However, I am not sure if this account actually belongs to you.

Found a JOHN ROWLANDS b. NOV 9 1859 in Trevethin Pontypool, Monmouthshire, WALES and d. JAN 1 1926 in OHIO

Buried in: Findlay, Hancock County, OHIO on 21 FEB 1927 (Maplegrove Cemetery, Section X, Block 28, Lot 49, space 1)

Photo available if necessary.

Cheers, Angela

[Keith]

Dear Keith,

I did find some information via my Ancestry membership that may be useful.  However, I am not sure if this account actually belongs to you.

Found a JOHN ROWLANDS b. NOV 9 1859 in Trevethin Pontypool, Monmouthshire, WALES and d. JAN 1 1926 in OHIO

Buried in: Findlay, Hancock County, OHIO on 21 FEB 1927 (Maplegrove Cemetery, Section X, Block 28, Lot 49, space 1)

Photo available if necessary.

Cheers, Angela

Hi Angela,

Many thanks for the information, but it's not our John I'm afraid. He was born in Anglesey in 1808/09 and died some time before 1891.

Regards,

Keith.

[skiptr]

Keith,

Was John married to a Hannah?  There are a John and Hannah "Rowlin" enumerated in the 1880 census in Mineral Ridge, Trumbull County.  John, b. ca 1810 in Wales, works in a coal mine.  Hannah is 2 years younger, b. in Wales.

There are Trumbull Co. death and burial lookups available from a lady on this page:

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohtrumbu/info/lookups.htm