How did jackson smith die crawford co. ill 1885?

Question:

How did jackson smith die crawford co. ill 1885?

wife sarah ann parker, jackson is buried in the goodhope cem

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: As Granny said, it's doubtful that you'll get a "diagnosis", let alone one that makes any sense. They didn't have doctors attending these people, nor did they have hospitals, medical examiners, etc.

The odds are that IF there is a diagnosis listed, it will say "dropsy", "consumption" or "natural causes". Dropsy is code for heart attacks and strokes. Consumption could be anything from tuberculosis to cancer to emphysema. Natural causes simply means "we don't know and no one shot, hung, stabbed or beat him to death.

Death records pre-1900 were really just registers. You're lucky to get much more than the name/DOB/DOD and mayyyybe the place of burial. Sometimes you'd get the parent's name...but usually the father, not the mother. Cause of death wasn't common, especially on the Plains.