My genealogical research is often challenging because of three courthouse fires that occurred in Cincinnati Ohio. So I was thrilled to stumble upon Cincinnati Birth and Death Records, 1865-1912 in the Digital Collections at the University of Cincinnati.

Death certificates are available through the Ohio Historical Society from December 20, 1908 through 1953, but my French Schmitt family immigrated to Cincinnati 50 years before that.

One of my goals for 2012 is to prove or disprove a theory that Alvina Schmitt and her husband Otto V Mueller were first cousins. The collection above contained an index card created for Alvina which lists her parents as Emile and Maria Schmitt:

Alvina Schmitt born 15 Dec 1883

I knew Emile and Maria also had two sons, but this collection revealed several other children about whom I had no information. The collection is not yet complete, so I will visit it again from time to time to see what new treasures it may contain.

Another of my favorite free Cincinnati-related web sites is that of Spring Grove Cemetery. Their searchable database is user-friendly and once a record is located, a simple click opens the burial card:

Alvina Schmitt's 1972 Burial Record

This is one of the most complete burial records in my files. Names, dates, locations, and relationships are listed, all of which help make the case that Alvina and Otto were indeed cousins. Alvina’s brother Arthur J Schmitt is also interred in this cemetery and his record contains names, dates, locations, and relationships that, just as the record above, provided answers to questions about this branch of my family tree.