Cook County Coroner's Death Certificates, 1879-1904
Note: Copies of inquest records (different from coroner's death certificates) can be obtained from IRAD at NEIU if you have the index entry from the Coroner's Inquest Index, 1872-1911.
About these records
If a death was likely to have occurred from other than natural causes, a coroner's jury was called to investigate and a coroner's death certificate was created. Excellent information about coroner's inquests is available on the Cook County Coroner's Inquest Record Index, 1872-1911 pages (scroll down).
At one time, these certificates were probably filed with the "regular" certificates at the end of each alphabetical section for each month/year. If you look at the microfilm for Chicago Death Certificates, 1878-1915 you will see notes that say "Missing" with ranges of certificate numbers listed. These records are not missing. The certificate numbers refer to the coroner's death certificates filmed under this title.
Indexing
These records are indexed
in the Illinois Statewide Death Index
Format
27 microfilm reels
Arrangement
Alphabetically by first letter of surname within months but the arrangement of months on the films is not always predictable. In some cases the records are filmed in reverse order and sometimes single records are so far out of place that it would be almost impossible to find them.
FHL Catalog
View Entry
Information generally found on the certificates
name
age, race, sex
nativity
occupation
marital status
date body was found
ward where found
place of death
date of death
jurors' verdict
Cook County death certificate number
cemetery name (often written in the margin)
Search tips
(1) A quick way of determining if an individual is likely to have had a coroner's death certificate instead of a "regular" death certificate is to search the Cook County Coroner's Inquest Record Index, 1972-1911 at the Illinois State Archives website. If you can't find a death certificate at FamilySearch, checking the inquest index is a good next step.
(2) Although the certificate number from the Cook County Death Index, 1871-1916 (or online Illinois Statewide Death Index) is likely to appear on the coroner's certificate, it is not necessary to have it in order to locate a certificate on these films.