California, San Joaquin, County Public Library Obituary Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

Collection Time Period
This collection covers the years 1850 to 1991.

Record Description
This collection consists of images of index cards located at the San Joaquin County Public Library in Stockton, California. The index cards contain clippings of obituaries from various San Joaquin County and Stockton city newspapers.

Record Content
The key genealogical facts found in Obituaries may include the following:




 * Name of deceased
 * Date and place of death
 * Residence
 * Names of family members
 * Cause of death
 * Date and place of burial
 * Undertaker

How to Use the Record
To begin your search you will need to know the following:


 * The person’s name
 * The approximate death date
 * The person’s last known residence

Once you have located your ancestor’s obituary, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These records are often brief so it can be easy to confuse individuals. Compare what information is given with what you already know about your ancestor to make sure it is the correct person.

Next, look at the pieces of information given in the obituary for new information. Add any new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors.

For example:


 * Use the birth date or year to search for birth records.
 * Use the birth date along with relative’s names to find the family in census records.
 * Use the locality and relative’s names to locate church and land records.
 * The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral and cemetery records, which often include the names and residences of other family members.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the deceased who may have been buried in the same cemetery or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, try the following:


 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby cemeteries.

Record History
Newspapers included obituaries from their beginning issues.

Why the Record Was Created
Obituaries were written as a public announcement of death.

Record Reliability
The information is generally reliable, but may contain some inaccuracies.

Related Websites
Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library Genealogy Resources

Related Wiki Articles

 * California Vital Records
 * California Newspapers
 * San Joaquin County, California

Citation for This Collection
The citation below refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

California, San Joaquin County Public Library Obituary Index File, ca. 1850-1991. San Joaquin Genealogical Society, Stockton, California. FHL digital images. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Information about creating source citations for FamilySearch Historical Collections is listed in the wiki article Help:How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections.

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
"California, San Jauquin, County Public Library Obituary Index, 1850-1991" digital images, ;FamilySearch (https//w.familysearch.org: accessed 17 February 2012). entry for Paul Arnold Dunbar, funeral held April 11, 1877; citing Public Library Records, Dunbar, P.A., Escabar, I.V.&gt; Image 5; San Joaquine Genealogical Society, Stockton, California, United States.