Death Certificate for my Grandfather

I just came across a copy of a death certificate for my mother's dad, Richard "Lud" Givens.  It isn't a copy of the official record...it was my dad copying off the original, I believe.  I think this document indicates that he died in Niceville, Okaloosa County, Florida.  I need to get a copy of the original to see if he actually died at home or whether he was in a hospital.    

I always thought "Lud" was short for "Ludlow" as his mother was descended from Frederick or Friedrich Kolmetz, born in Germany.  However, this version of the death certificate doesn't reflect anything other than "Lud".  

He died May  18, 1948.  He was 54 at the time of death,  Florida Death Index, Certificate # 10764. via FindMyPast.com. 

He died of a cerebral hemorrhage as certified by A.G. Williams of Valparaiso, Florida.  The date that the certificate was received by the local (county or state?) register was 3 June 1948.  The informant was my grandmother, Alice Settles Givens of Niceville.

My goal is to obtain a copy of the official death certificate to determine whether he died at home or in a hospital.   In Florida, you can go to your local health department and get a copy if your ancestor died in Florida during the time that death certificates were documented.

 Or, you can contact the Florida Department of Vital Statsitics/ Bureau of Vital Statistics. 

For other locations/ different states, check out this web site: Where to write for Vital Records.

What information can you learn from a marriage license?  It varies from state to state.  In some states, there is a lot of information, in others, just the bare minimum.  Let's study this one.  

Sometimes when you are looking at a document image, it helps to put your heads together!

1.  The groom's name is John Clayton Givens
2.  The bride's name is Lavada Wood.  
3.  The government entity is Panama City, Florida.  (Bay County).  4.  The date is 14 September, 1941 
5.  The Witnesses to this marriage were Dorothy Wood and Viola Harwell.  6.  The certificate number is given (5424) and just above that is the information about where this marriage will be recorded, (Marriage Book 6, Page 240).  If you went to the Courthouse or whatever place the records are stored/archived, you would give this information and they would produce the document, either an actual "book" or a microfilmed image.   

Do you know who this person is (John Clayton Givens)?  Can you tell us more about this person?  Email me and I will post it!

Images Make My Day!

There is nothing like a photograph to make me a happy camper!  

Unless....it's a photograph or image of a document that I can't identify!  

So here are a few document images and also, a few photos... that are relative (no pun intended).  Some of them are identifiable, (I know or think I know who or what it is), and some of them I need your help identifying.

 These two images (above) show census information.  

Here is a photo from the recent (2019) Givens Reunion held in Florala, Alabama.  (I've identified two of these folks and hope you will identify the others in the photo).

Foye Givens Gramley with her husband, Robert Gramley.

Other images:

She was married to Richard Lud Givens

 

1900 Cemsus Baldwin County_Givens

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marriage Liscense James C_Givens and Wood

Now, I will be happy to "showcase" your documents and images on this website, but be sure you identify (if you know) who or what the image is about.  I have many other images (that need to be organized).  In my next post, I will try to post some other things.  Where, you may wonder, can you find/locate images on the internet?  There are various websites that I utilize: findmypast.com; myheritage.com; ancestry.com; familysearch.org.

Where, you may wonder, can you safely "store"/archive your photos?  I would recommend that you utilize the "Memories" secton at www.familysearch.org.  

FamilySearch is a website sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka "Mormon" church).  This site is used by members of the church as well as non-members.  The site is available to all genealogists and family historians (you need to register for a free account).  

FamilySearch is dedicated to preserving your family histories and your memories.  My favorite thing is to "Search" and see if someone has already entered my relatives! Because the "Mormons" are crazy for genealogy, they have dedicated a lot of time and money for that work!

What's in a name?

Don't just look for the person, but try to associate that "name" with other individuals, too.

So, how do you prove your relationship to "John Doe"?  

First and foremost, you find out if he had a middle name! 

 Some of us are fortunate to have an ancestor who has an unusual name...some, not so lucky!  Take "John Givens".  You might as well throw up your hands when you start searching ancestry.com for a "John Givens".  Never mind searching Google for that name!

To search anyone at any site (google.com, myheritage.com, familysearch.org, etc.), you need more information, not less.   

As it so happens, my John Givens does have a middle name that makes it a bit easier to track him down: now, you have a chance!

Try it now...no caps, please: Search Google for "John Witherspoon Givens".  And it doesn't hurt to also pull up the images feature at Google; you can never tell when you're going to hit the jackpot!  

 

In addition, you want to include any other information that you have.  It might even help if you can make a timeline showing various events any locations where he might have lived.