Whoops... Original research pays off
by webmaster John Cardiff

Finally -- an example of why we recommend always checking your sources in genealogy.

On 8 Oct 2014 we transcribed Marshall LaRose's obituary from the Nov 1917 Simcoe Reformer.

Site visitor and fellow genealogy researcher 
Wayne Jackson of Ottawa found our transcription 
"an interesting puzzle" and compared it to other, superior, source documents.

Fortunately, our transcription of the Reformer article was accurate. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for our source document, the Reformer article.

Among the errors Wayne found:
-- the deceased's name
-- the deceased's age
-- the place of death
-- probably the cause of death.

His birth registration says Morris Larose was born 
27 Aug 1882 in Port Dover. The 1891 census agrees his name is Morris Larose, but the 1901 census identifies him as Mares La Rose. 

His death registration says Marres La Rose died in Ludington (not Lidington), Michigan, age:"about 36." 
His cemetery stone in Lewiston, New York reads: 
"Marres La Rose 1881-1917"

Subtracting his birth registration's date of birth from his death registration's date of date, we find he died at age 34, or in his 35th year. That's closer to his death registration's age "about 36" than it is to the Reformer's "in his 32nd year."

The Reformer article also says "death occurred suddenly" while the death certificate says he was attended by a doctor for the preceding 19 days, at least some of which were spent in hospital, before dying of lobar pneumonia.

Granted, 19 days is sudden compared to old age or a slow cancer, but not compared to some heart attacks, accidents or gunshot wounds.

As a bonus for additional research, Marres' death registration provides his occupation: sailor.

My thanks to Wayne for sending his source documents, which allowed me to review them myself, and share them with you.

It pays to review the source documents themselves.