Amanuensis Attempt

I have been intrigued for quite some time with those that participate in "Amanuensis Monday".  The theory behind the value of this exercise can be found HERE.  This blog by a man named John Newmark is the original creator  of the concept of weekly amanuensis but other bloggers have joined in.  I am the worlds worst skimmer when it comes to reading.  And the harder the item is to read the less of it I take slowly and read word for word.   Therefore I know this would be a very worthwhile exercise for me to do once a week.  My lack of self discipline will probably not allow that to happen but whatever I do get transcribed will help me to read that document carefully.  I have been very fortunate that I have a friend who loves to type and often will type things up for me.  But to do some of them myself will help me to look at the documents more carefully.  

For my first attempt I chose a rather difficult document to read.  It is the death certificate of Amelia Jane Sullivan Patton.  

Amelia Jane Sullivan Patton

1845-1900

death certificate

In the top left hand corner:  County Miami     Township Pipecreek          town or city -----      name of decadent Amalia Jane Patton

In the top center:  Indiana State Board Of Health Certificate and Record of Death

In the top right corner:  #247         Health Officer's Record number 3       Date of Death Month May Day 7th Year 1900

Center portion of certificate:  This blank to be filled by the physician, if any, otherwise by health officer or coroner MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF DEATH  I hereby certify that I attended the deceased from March 17 to May 6, that I last saw her alive on May 6, that she died on 7th about 7 o'clock AM,  and that to the best of my knowledge and belief the CAUSE OF DEATH was as hereunder written

Disease causing death Uroseptic Toxemia  (?)   Duration 7 (?) weeks

Immediate cause of death  anconthosis (?)     Duration  March progression (?)

Contributing causes or complications if any Softening of Brain (?)     Duration Known beginning (something) of 8 months (?)

Post mortem none

Witness my hand this 9th day of May 1900

Signature of physician, coroner or health officer  Wilber Brantien (?)

Address Peru Indiana

Bottom portion of certificate:  This blank to be filled by householder of any competent person. 

RECORD OF DEATH Age 54 years 11 months and 6 days

Full name of deceased  Amelia Jane Patton Sex Female Color White

Residence 5 1/5 miles so west of Peru  married

Occupation Housewife  Birthplace Miami County Ohio

Place of Death 5 1/5  miles so west of Peru    Father's name in full Cornelius H Sullivan 

Father's birthplace Maryland   Mother's maiden name in full Mariah L Morris

Mother's birthplace Miami Co O   Date of Burial May 9, 1900

Place of Burial Pipe Creek Cemetery  Signature of undertaker Jake (?)  H Fetter

Reported by Samuel S Patton    Address of undertaker Peru Ind

Address Nead Indiana

I attempted to look up the number on the upper right hand corner to see if it would help me with the cause of death and it did not.  HERE is where you look if you have a number on a death certificate in 1900.  But I think the number would have been written in near the cause of death.  

This is a good source document to go back and check the information I have on her parents names and birth locations and her death and birth dates and locations.  When I saw her name at the top I thought maybe I had been mis-spelling it but it is spelled like I spell it on the bottom of the form.  

The Samuel Patton that is Amelia's husband on this form is the nephew of the Samuel Patton that was in the story a couple of posts ago for my May writing group post.  

I think if you click on the picture the death certificate should get bigger for you in case you want to try to read it yourself.  

This was a difficult but worth while exercise.