Mortality Schedules
From FAMILY TREE FINDERS
Tuesday - 23 November 1999

Submitted by GFS LynnB@aol.com

Genealogists are always turning their attention to census records. In fact they are especially happy when they get to work in the 1850 through 1920 as those listed everyone in the household. However, there is another valuable source that can help you in locating certain deceased individuals during those same years. The mortality schedules were created by an act of Congress. Their purpose was to document those who died within the prior twelve months prior to the date of the population schedule.

Ideally the mortality schedule is supposed to include name, age, sex, race, occupation, birthplace, cause of death, number of days ill and other details about those who died during that specific time frame. And it was supposed to include all those who died during the time period. Of course, as we have discovered from working with the population schedules, this isn't always the case. In the case of the mortality schedules, it appears that only 60% of the deaths were actually recorded in this special census. Nonetheless, if you know of an ancestor that may have died within the twelve months prior to the taking of the census, you will want to try and access the mortality schedules.

Locating these schedules can be a problem as well. Your first stop should be your local Family History Center for a search of the Family History Library Catalog. While they do not have all of them on microfilm, they do have a good collection. If you do not find the state or year you need in the catalog, you will need to turn your attention to other repositories such as the National Archives and state archives and the DAR library. To determine which mortality schedules exist and in which repository, you will want to see "The Source." This book is available in book format, on CD and now also at the Ancestry.com web site in their free area.

If the mortality schedule you need is not available on microfilm through the Family History Library, you may need to hire a professional or plan a trip to gain access to the other repositories.

Mortality schedules have changed over the years, just as the population schedules have. In 1870, the census was adjusted to include the place of birth for the parents of the deceased. The 1880 mortality schedule asked for information about where and when the illness was contracted and how long the deceased was a citizen or resident of the area.

Mortality schedules exist for the 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 and 1885 federal censuses. The 1885 federal census was done primarily for Colorado, the Dakota and New Mexico territories, Florida and Nebraska. The census year for the mortality schedule was considered to be June 1 of the previous year through May 31 of the present year.

Rhonda R. McClure
rhondam@sodamail.com

 

 

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