Death Certificate: Katherine Birkenstock Kuhn, 4 July 1890, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana

     There’s a story in every document.  This one adds to the ongoing Birkenstock Project that I’m recording slowly but surely. Katherine Birkenstock emigrated from Hessen, Germany, in 1862 with her husband and children.  She lived in the United States for 28 years and died  on July 4th, 1890, while living with her daughter, Wilhelmina, in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Below is her death certificate from the Marion County Health Department, followed by a transcription.   

Marion County Health Department
Indianapolis, Indiana
Certificate of Death

Name: Kath Kuhn
Date of Death:  7/4/1890
Birth place: Germany
Residence: Indianapolis
Place of death:  Marion County, Indianapolis

Sex: Female
Age: 82
Race: White
Marital Status: Widowed
Immediate cause: Shock from fall
Other significant conditions contributing: coroners
Date of Burial:  7/7/1890
Cemetery: Catholic yards
Certificate No.  8210, Vol. 6, pg. 82
Death certified by:  D. A. Wagner (coroner) MD
Date filed: 7/6/1890
Date issued: 7/20/2005
Clerk: LReeves

-----------------------------------

     This information isn’t necessarily unusual, for a lady of 82 years of age.  But when we read the immediate cause of death as “shock from fall” it possibly makes you wonder.  And then, the next line states other significant conditions contributing:“coroners.”  Well, I don’t have every detail, but I do have a partial answer.  Katherine’s will states that she is leaving all her property and possessions to her daughter, Wilhelmina, “having taken care of me during my life time and having nursed and cared for me since I became blind…”  This information about Katherine’s eye sight could explain the cause of death from a fall.  I’m glad her daughter was there for her. 
     But I haven’t yet found the answer to the contributing conditions note listing “coroners”.  If she died in her home from other than natural causes, there could have been a coroner’s investigation.  A report most likely won’t give us any other significant information.  But….all of these documents have a story, right?! Sounds like another To Do item for the Katherine Kuhn list.  

     Thanks for visiting Indiana Ties,

     Nancy

Copyright © 2016, Nancy Niehaus Hurley

Related posts you might like to read:

Katherine Birkenstock Kuhn’s Will Discovery
Where and When Did Katherine Birkenstock Marry Martin Kuhn?, Part 1
Where and When: Ruhlkirchen or Neustadt in Hessen? Katherine Birkenstock/Martin Kuhn, Part 2