Opinions/insight - death records and suicide (early 1900's)

[Colaiacovo_Search]

I have a somewhat puzzling records issue going on and a family story to back up my curiosity.

There is a family story in my ancestry about a possible/likely murder suicide .... the former of which I have found a death record with the corresponding year (although cause of deaths aren't listed); the latter of which is a death record I have never found, despite poring over records in several possible towns, checking possible emigration, and enlisting the help of the professionals here.

When speaking with my grandmother the other day, she suggested that, perhaps, there wouldn't be a death record for someone who had committed suicide. She is the youngest child of immigrants from southern Italy, and it is my understanding that neither of her parents ever went back after immigrating to the United States.

Does anyone have any insight or opinion into this topic? Does anyone have knowledge or insight into whether a suicide would be accounted for in the annual death records?

Thank you so much -- I know it's a strange topic, and still a mystery for my family

[PippoM]

As far as I know, deaths of suicide people are recorded in civil records, as any other death.
Maybe it's be different for church records, as suicides shouldn't be allowed a christian funeral, so maybe they are not recorded at all

[rlw254]

One death record in the town I research in indicated that the body of a drowned woman was found in the nearby river. Since nobody knew who she was, the record had to be for an anonymous woman in the supplemental section. It is possible that, if your relative died in a town that they were not from, nobody knew who he was and his death record was filled out accordingly.

[Colaiacovo_Search]

Great! That is all helpful! Thank you Pippo & RLW

[adellagreca]

It my experience that civil records do not specify reason for death and at least in one case that I recall the birth certificate indicated the date and place of death of a relative who had moved. Do, my thinking that the death of a person is transmitted to the town of origin. The question indicates that the death of the person was early 1900. Since death records after 1929 have not been published is it possible that the person was alive after 1829? In this case the only source of info is the town of origin.

[Colaiacovo_Search]

The question indicates that the death of the person was early 1900. Since death records after 1929 have not been published is it possible that the person was alive after 1829? In this case the only source of info is the town of origin.

Hi Adellagreca,
Thank you for your message. The piece about this ancestor dying in the early 1900's is related to a family story, one of which I have no proof of the details about, other than word of mouth, and his wife's death record in 1904.

Considering that my ancestor was born in 1864, and that his mother died in 1923, it is completely possible that he was still alive in 1929.

There is no annotation on his birth record regarding date of death, as I know sometimes we are lucky enough to find in our research. In that case, are you stating that contacting Stigliano (where he was born) might be the next best step?