Dead People
Most of the time the purpose of an investigation of a dead person is to discover their heirs. Obituary databases are great for this purpose:
- Cleveland Necrology File – contains cemetery records and death notices from about 1850- 1975.
- Cleveland News Index – obituaries 1976-present
- Americas Obituaries and Death Notices (Newsbank) –check your public library for availability
- America's Newspapers: Newsbank - via Ohiolink
- Online Searchable Death Indexes – will lead you to obituaries, death records, probate indexes and cemetery records in the fifty states.
- Obituary Central (directory of obituary sites)
Also see the section on finding relatives.
Social Security Death Index will tell you the social security number and last address of a deceased person
Often, a law firm is trying to locate the deceased’s assets. The section on assets above may help.
Thanks to Julie Maekask, librarian at Eastman & Smith for her suggestions.
Links Checked, SA, 5-7-2009