Ive tried variations on spelling, searching only by the date of death, etc., but the name isnt in the online index. Why?
We are aware of the instances of misspellings, duplicate records, missing entries, etc., associated with the online index. The original indexes from which the online index was scanned contain fuzzy type. If a name is unclear, the scanning machine guesses at the letters it cannot easily identify. As a result, spelling mistakes occur. If the entry was extremely difficult for the software to read, it may not appear in the online version of the index at all. Although it is difficult to generalize about entries in the index, many 1928-1935 deaths are missing from the online index. If a researcher knows of a specific death at a specific place but is unable to find an entry in the online index, a copy of that certificate can still be ordered. Simply complete the request form giving all the required information. Our staff does not rely on the online index when we search for death certificates in our library. Rather, we use the microfilm version of the original index. This is the same version f
