Ohio, Crawford County Obituaries - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of the obituary file from the Crawford County Genealogical Society in Galion, Ohio. The entries date from around 1860 to 2004. The obituaries are arranged alphabetically

Citation for This Collection
The following citation 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.

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.

Record Content


Key genealogical facts included in this collection are:


 * Name of deceased
 * Birth date and place
 * Death date and place
 * Names of parents
 * Name of spouse
 * Names of children
 * Name of cemetery
 * Name of newspaper
 * Date of obituary publication

How to Use the Record
To begin your search you will need to know your ancestor’s name and other identifying information such as:


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

Search the Collection
To search the collection select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page. Next select the appropriate surname range. The obituaries are arranged in alphabetical order.

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

Using the Information
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.

Related Websites
Crawford County Genealogical Society

Related Wiki Articles
Ohio Obituaries

Citing Family Search 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.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
"Ohio, Crawford County Obituaries, 1860-2004," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 7 June 2012), Clements, Arthur W.-Coats, Violet > image Clement, Arthur W. died 26 March 1956; citing Crawford County Genealogical Society. Crawford County Obituaries. Crawford County Genealogical Society, Galion, Ohio.

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