Massachusetts, Federal Census Mortality Schedule, 1870 - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of an index and images to "Federal Census Schedule 2, Persons who died during the year ending June 1, 1870".

Record Content
The records usually list:


 * Number of the family in the Population Schedule (Schedule 1)
 * Name of the deceased
 * Age
 * Gender
 * Color
 * Marital status
 * Birth place
 * If parents are foreign born
 * Occupation
 * Month in which person died
 * Cause of death

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know


 * Name of the deceased
 * Place of residence

Search the Collection
To search the collection by name fill in your ancestor’s name in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about those in the list to what you already know about your own ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person.

If you did not find the person you were looking for, you may need to search the collection image by image. ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the appropriate "County" which takes you to the images.

Look at the images one by one. Again you will need to compare the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor.

Be aware that with either search you may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.
 * If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names.
 * Even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line video at FamilySearch Search Tips.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors. For example:


 * Use the age to calculate an approximate death date.
 * Use the place, surname and family number to find the rest of the family in the federal census
 * Use the name and residence to search other other records such as church and land records.
 * Use the name and month of death to search court records for a will or probate.
 * Occupations listed may lead you to other types of records such as employment or school records

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * This census only lists individuals who died within the year ending June 1, 1870 so if your ancestor died after June 1st, they would not be in this census schedule. Search the 1870 Population Schedule.
 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Look for another index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor.

Related Websites

 * Census Finder
 * Massachusetts Archive
 * New Horizons Genealogy
 * Records Base

Related Wiki Articles

 * Massachusetts
 * Massachusetts Census

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.