Butternut Ridge Cemetery

Butternut Ridge Cemetery
Butternut Ridge Cemetery First Burial 1821

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Genealogy Information and Pitfalls



This is a little information learned while working on this project.  First I have completed a history of my family back to the 1600. I worked on that for about 7 years.  My two primary citation sources are Ancestry.com and Family Search.com.  While doing my research I found a few interesting things. 

Only use the Public Trees in ancestry as a reference. You must have another source or two to meet the standards. The do offer some really good hints.  I have found many errors.

Headstones and Death Certificates are good for death dates but are only a reference for a birth date.  An example of this is Caleb Cook and his wife Eliza Payson.  Their birth Certificates, from Massachusetts, both showed a different date from their Headstones and it showed that Elisa’s full name was Catherine Eliza. 

Remember a woman changes her name at every marriage.  If you can’t find where a wife is buried check for a marriage license using her married name.  Example Samantha Palmer married Oscar Coe.   Mr. Coe died young and she Married Jabez Bainbridge.   Samantha Palmer Coe Bainbridge Is buried in Butternut in a Plot owned by her second husband’s parents along with her is parents George and Melissa Palmer. The part I am curious about is that George Palmer has his own plot in Butternut.   The only one buried in it is his grandchild Oscar Coe Jr.

Cuyahoga County Probate court changed their website.  You can no longer access the early marriage license records on their site easily.  I have found that Family Search has very good Ohio County Marriage records that can be easily accessed in their updated site any questions send me an email and I can give you some help