Another example of bad information

Artie M. Coffey Coffey

This is the OH death certificate for Artie M. Coffey who was the wife of Charles Wesley Coffey.  She was born on Nov. 3, 1895 in Rockcastle Co., KY and died in Franklin, Warren Co., OH on Dec. 23, 1936.

She was the daughter of Ransom and Mary Jane Coffey Coffey.  Artie married Charles c1920.  They moved from KY to OH sometime before the census of 1930.  That year they were found in Franklin where Charles was employed as "yard man" at a paper mill.

The purpose of this blog is to point out how someone interviewing a family member for information to place in the death certificate can be responsible for entering errors into the record.

Whoever recorded the information was likely told that Artie's father was "Rance Coffey" but misunderstood and entered "Grants Coffey."  If lenient, I might be able to believe that the recorder correctly wrote the name as given by the informant.  If that was the case, it adds credence to my earlier position that informants are not always so familiar with the deceased that they are able to provide accurate information.

I would think then that about the only information included in a death certificate that we cannot challenge is the cause and date of death and, perhaps the burial place.  All other information is only as good as the informant and/or the recorder.