Ancestry Saturday: The Elusive Death Date of Phebe Ann Woodmansee

 

My fourth great grandmother, born Phebe Ann Woodmansee, was elusive in her death.

One county history book had her death calculated as the year 1887.  Another researcher had her passing in May 1883.  

 

Because there was no headstone found for her burial and Ohio didn't require death certificates before 1908, the actual date of her death was unknown.

Piecing the puzzle together helped narrow things down, though, and a obituary was found to settle the mystery in my mind.

One piece said that she was dropped from the rolls of the Friends church to which she belonged in August 1883.  That was a sign, but not enough.

A Highland County Probate Court journal entry was the next thing found that indicated she was gone before October 1883.

Then the Library of Congress newspaper archive, despite a last name misspelling, gave up the date.  She died July 27, 1883.

Now, the tough job is to get all those records of genealogical researchers updated to reflect the correct date.