This was an enumeration (census counting) of deaths
during the 12 months preceding census day. The U.S.
Census included Mortality Schedules from 1850 through
1900, although the 1890 and 1900 schedules have been
destroyed.

  - Randy Jones

--- Herbert Farmer <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Hi all, since the Personal Property Tax Lists
> received a lot of comment,
> I thought that I would try to stir up a little
> interest in another
> rarely used source. That is the Federal Mortality
> Index. In the early
> years this was taken at the same time as the
> population census with the
> question being asked "Did anyone that was in the
> household die within
> the last year?" Sometimes you get lucky when viewing
> the Federal
> Mortality Index.
>     In January of 1870, my g grandfather William
> Edward Heflin lost his
> wife Eliza in Culpeper Co., VA and it was reported
> in the Federal
> Mortality Index for 1870.
>     In March of 1880, my grandfather William Thomas
> Heflin lost his
> first wife Roberta Jane Colvin and 3 of their 4
> children (all within 3
> weeks of each other) in Culpeper Co., VA to scarlet
> fever and this also
> was reported in the Federal Mortality Index for
> 1880.
>     Since, William Edward Heflin had small children
> at the time of
> Eliza's death I started looking for a second
> marriage by looking for all
> of the William Heflin's in the census records for
> all of the Counties of
> Virginia. Lo and behold I found William Edward
> Heflin in the 1880 census
> for Pittsylvania Co. married to an Adaline. I knew
> it was my William
> Edward because my grandfather William Thomas Heflin
> (36) is listed in
> the Pittsylvania Co., VA Population Census along
> with his son John (4)
> living with his father William Edward Heflin and
> Adaline Martin and
> Maria, Josie, and Samuel the children of William
> Edward and Eliza.
> William Thomas Heflin and lost his wife and 3 of
> their 4 children to
> scarlet fever in Culpeper Co., VA in 1870. Maria and
> Josie married in
> Pittsylvania giving me other sources to research. My
> g grandfather and
> and grandfather were logger's and I assume that this
> is what drew them
> to Pittsylvania where the fall line is nearby.
>
>     I thought that I would share this with you to
> encourage you not to
> overlook anything, even if there is only a 1% chance
> of success.
> Regards, Phyllis
>
> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please
> see the instructions at
> http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Auctions - Buy the things you want at great prices.
http://auctions.yahoo.com/

To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at
http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html