Contents of this file:

The files death4.txt and death4.csv are abstracts of death records at the Town Hall of Shelburne, Franklin County, Massachusetts. Persons who died in Shelburne, or who last resided in Shelburne, or who were buried in Shelburne, are included. The files include 2975 deceased persons, from 1913 through 2002.

Relative ages of family members:

Note regarding Shelburne and Shelburne Falls:

Shelburne Falls is a village partly in the Town of Shelburne and partly in the Town of Buckland. The Shelburne Town Office maintains records pertaining only to the Shelburne portion of Shelburne Falls, and to the remainder of the Town of Shelburne. "Shelburne Center," when used, refers specifically to the portion of Shelburne not in Shelburne Falls. To make matters more confusing, usage of the terms "Shelburne" and "Shelburne Falls" is not consistent. In the 19th century, Shelburne and Shelburne Falls were generally considered as separate and non-overlapping. The same addresses appear sometimes with "Shelburne" and sometimes with "Shelburne Falls." In this report "Shelburne" is generally used for Shelburne Falls locations, unless they are known to be in Buckland. 

Data fields:

[ ] comments by editor, not in original record
Fields with * are for file death4 only, not death3.

sources (D = death certificate; R = Shelburne Town Report; DR = both)
deathyear (yyyy)
deathmonth (1-12)
deathday (1-31)
deathdate (mm/dd/yyyy)
*page_no = registration number (unique within year_of_death)
lastname (for women, husband's surname)
birthname (for women, father's surname)
firstname (name in parentheses, if present, is maiden name)
birthyear (yyyy)
birthmonth (1-12)
birthday (1-31)
birthdate (dd-mmm)
age_at_death (years)
months (of age at death)
days (of age at death)
given: if given="age", then birthyear, birthmonth, and birthday are calculated as below

geography:
*state_of_birth (or country if outside US)
*county_of_birth (or province if outside US)
*town_of_birth
state_of_death (or country if outside US)
county_of_death (or province if outside US)
town_of_death
*state_of_residence (or country if outside US)
*county_of_residence (or province if outside US)
*town_of_residence
*address_of_residence
state_of_burial (or country if outside US)
county_of_burial (or province if outside US)
town_of_burial
cemetery ("crem" means cremation)

*res_years = length of stay (years) in place of residence (rarely used after 1975)
*sex = f(emale) or m(ale)
*race: w(hite) or mulatto
*marital_status: m(arried), w(idowed), d(ivorced), or s(ingle)(never married)
*occupation = usual occupation (incomplete 1976-1992)
*industry = industry or business (incomplete 1976-1992)
*mo_last_work = month (1-12) deceased last worked at this occupation
*yr_last_work = year (yyyy) deceased last worked at this occupation
*years_occ = total time (years) spent in this occupation

first spouse:
*spouse_surname (for a husband, the wife's maiden name)
*spouse_firstname
*spouse_age = age of spouse if alive (before 1949 only)
*spouse_birthyear = birthyear of deceased spouse
*spouse_deathyear = deathyear of deceased spouse
*agediff (for wives only) = birthyear minus spouse_birthyear
*widowyears (for wives only) = deathyear minus spouse_deathyear
*lifediff (for wives only) = age at death minus husband's age at death = widowyears minus agediff

second spouse, if any:
*spouse2_surname (for a husband, the wife's maiden name)
*spouse2_firstname
*spouse2_age = age of spouse if alive (before 1949 only)
*spouse2_birthyear = birthyear of deceased spouse
*spouse2_deathyear = deathyear of deceased spouse
*agediff2 (for wives only) = birthyear minus spouse_birthyear
*widowyears2 (for wives only) = deathyear minus spouse_deathyear
*lifediff2 (for wives only) = age at death minus husband's age at death = widowyears minus agediff

father:
*father_surname
*father_firstname
*father_birthplace_state (incomplete 1976-1992)
*father_birthplace_county (incomplete 1976-1992)
*father_birthplace_town (incomplete 1976-1992)
*father_birthyear = birthyear of deceased father
*father_deathyear = deathyear of deceased father
*father_age = father's age at child's birth = birthyear minus father_birthyear

mother:
*mother_surname (mother's maiden name)
*mother_firstname
*mother_birthplace_state (incomplete 1976-1992)
*mother_birthplace_county (incomplete 1976-1992)
*mother_birthplace_town (incomplete 1976-1992)
*mother_birthyear = birthyear of deceased mother
*mother_deathyear = deathyear of deceased mother
*mother_age = mother's age at child's birth = birthyear minus mother_birthyear

relatives:
*spouse_comment = info about multiple spouses
*comments = miscellaneous comments
*siblings_birthyears = birthyears of known siblings, including self
*siblings_deathyears = deathyears of known siblings, including self
*siblings_firstnames = firstnames of known siblings, including self (excluding husband's surname)
*sibling_agediff = age of oldest sibling, at child's birth (0 for oldest sibling)
*children_birthyears = birthyear(s) of known children
*children_deathyears = deathyear(s) of known children
*children_firstnames = firstname(s) of known children (excluding husband's surname)

Calculation of birth date from age at death:
If given="age", then birthyear, birthmonth and birthday are calculated as follows:
birthyear = deathyear - age_at_death + year_carry
year_carry = INT ( ( deathmonth + month_carry - months - 1) / 12)
birthmonth = MOD ( deathmonth + month_carry - months - 1, 12) + 1
monthcarry = INT ( ( deathday - days - 1) / days_last_month)
birthday = MOD ( deathday - days + days_last_month - 1, days_last_month ) + 1
days_last_month (1-31) = days in month preceding death date
= IF( deathmonth=3, IF( MOD( deathyear, 4 )=0 , 29, 28) , INT ( ( MOD( 5*deathmonth + 1, 12 ) + 2) / 7 ) + 30 )
(formula above needs to be modified if death occurred in March 1800 or March 1900)