Illinois, Cook County, Maywood, Maywood Herald Obituary Card Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

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Revision as of 09:44, 2 September 2011 by ChelsieRedford (talk | contribs) (copy edit)
FamilySearch Record Search This article describes a collection of historical records scheduled to become available at FamilySearch.org.
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Collection Time Period[edit | edit source]

The collection covers the years 1920 to 2001.

Record Description[edit | edit source]

The collection consists of images of a surname card index from the Maywood Public Library. The index is largely comprised of obituaries, as well as a list of "Maywoodians" (residents of the city of Maywood), from the "Maywood Herald" newspaper.

Record Content[edit | edit source]

These records generally contain the following information:

  • Name of deceased
  • Date and place of death
  • Residence
  • Names of family members
  • Cause of death
  • Date and place of burial
  • Undertaker

How to Use the Record[edit | edit source]

To begin your search you will need to know the following:

  • The person’s name
  • The approximate death date
  • The person’s last known residence


Once you have located your ancestor’s obituary, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These records are often brief so it can be easy to confuse individuals. Compare what information is given with what you already know about your ancestor to make sure it is the correct person.

Next, look at the pieces of information given in the obituary for new information. Add any new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors.

For example:

  • Use the birth date or year to search for birth records.
  • Use the birth date along with relative’s names to find the family in census records.
  • Use the locality and relative’s names to locate church and land records.
  • The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral and cemetery records, which often include the names and residences of other family members.
  • Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
  • Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the deceased who may have been buried in the same cemetery or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
  • When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.


If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, try the following:

  • Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
  • Search the indexes and records of nearby cemeteries.

Record History[edit | edit source]

Newspapers included obituaries from their beginning issues.

Why the Record Was Created[edit | edit source]

Obituaries were written as a public announcement of death.

Record Reliability[edit | edit source]

The information is generally reliable, but may contain some inaccuracies.

Related Websites[edit | edit source]

Maywood Public Library

Related Wiki Articles[edit | edit source]

Cook County, Illinois

Contributions to This Article[edit | edit source]

Template:Contributor invite

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections[edit | edit source]

When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the Wiki Article: How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection[edit | edit source]

  • “Delaware Marriage Records,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 4 March 2011), entry for William Anderson and Elizabeth Baynard Henry, married 23 November 1913; citing marriage certificate no. 859; FHL microfilm 2,025,063; Delaware Bureau of Archives and Records Management, Dover.
  • “El Salvador Civil Registration,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 21 March 2011), entry for Jose Maria Antonio del Carmen, born 9 April 1880; citing La Libertad, San Juan Opico, Nacimientos 1879-1893, image 50; Ministerio Archivo Civil de la Alcaldia Municipal de San Salvador.

Sources of information for This Collection[edit | edit source]

"Illinois, Cook County, Maywood, Obituary Card Index from the "Maywood Herald", 1920-2001." FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org). Maywood Public Library, Maywood, Illinois. FHL digital images, 72 digital folders. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah

The suggested format for citing FamilySearch Historical Collections is found in the following article: How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections.