As many genealogists can tell you, death certificate research is relatively modern. You can only go back so far and then it seems the paper trail just ends. It may be a surprise to you, but the death certificate is centuries younger than even census records. The most important year for death certificates is 1837. […]
Tag: bizarre
The Female Stranger
Alexandria was a bustling harbor for shipping and trading after the Revolutionary War. One day a large schooner sailed into this Virginia port, owned by an Alexandria merchant named John Dean. The ship carried rum and sugar as its cargo, as well as a handsome, wealthy couple when it entered port on July 25, 1815. […]
Bizarre Botany: Jimsonweed
Jimsonweed is named after Jamestown, but actually gained notoriety due to a mass poisoning in 1676. The people of Jamestown, Virginia, who were primarily soldiers, believed they were simply enjoying a fresh salad. Unfortunately, the leaves and seeds induce delirium and bring about hallucinations. Strangely enough, humans have been poisoned by the Jimsonweed in far […]