Oh dear! Today I finally received the death certificate for Hester A Ryan from Indiana. Hester was the last heir to quit claim her share of the John Van Buskirk farm. She did this 20 Feb 1877. This is the farm that started this project for me. I was so sure that if Hester's father was even listed on her death certificate it would be ---- William Davis! The informant was Lou E Ryan Vandeman, Hester's oldest daughter. She got the William right, but the last name was JOHNSON! Was it a lapse of memory? Was it a case of a daughter not listening to her mother very attentively? Was it a case of "who cares, or will ever care anyway"? All I know is that now I have to try find other records to solve the case of the parents of Hester A Ryan.
Of course I checked -- and of course I found --- a William Johnson with a daughter named Hester in Madison Co Indiana in 1860 and 1870. This Hester is the right age, however she has 4 siblings. This can't be my Hester as she most likely would not have outlived that many siblings by 1877. If there were more heirs from this family, they would have shared equally in the Van Buskirk farm.
No, unfortunately, it is most certainly a case of inaccurate recording on a death certificate. It would have been nice to have it say what I expected, but it is a minor problem. Now I must do a bit more work.
Moral of the story? If you are ever the death certificate informant, usually next of kin, please be accurate in the statements. I know my own father's death certificate is incorrect. His mother is listed with her married name - not her maiden name. I hope future generations will have found my genealogy stories and do not have to depend on his death certificate.
Now,I am waiting for one last death certificate from Iowa. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it says what I expect it to say, so stay tuned!!
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