Edward Jesse Bickerstaff - death certificate and obituary

Edward Jesse Bickerstaff is my maternal great-grandfather.
This is my line to him: me --> Audrey Meinzen --> Emma Bickerstaff --> Edward Jesse Bickerstaff

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OHIO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH - COLUMBUS - CERTIFICATE OF DEATH
State File No. 75173....

1. PLACE OF DEATH
1. (a) County Mahoning
1. (b) (City, Village, Township) Youngstown
1. (c) Name of hospital or institution: South Side
1. (d) Length of stay: in hospital or institution 2 (Days)
In this community 32 (Years, months or days)
2. USUAL RESIDENCE OF DECEASED
2. (a) State Ohio
2. (b) County Trumbull
2. (c) City or village Mineral Ridge....
3. FULL NAME Edward J. Bickerstaff
4. Sex M
5. Race or color W
6. (a) Single, widowed, married, divorced Wid.
6. (b) Name of husband or wife Mary Bickerstaff
7. Birth date of deceased April 27 1871
8. AGE 74 years 7 Months 26 Days
9. Birthplace (City, town, or county) Steubenville (State...) O
10. Usual occupation Carpenter
11. Industry or business own
12. Father Name Ellis Bickerstaff
13. Father Birthplace (City, town, or county) Steubenville (State...) O.
14. Mother Maiden Name Mary Bickerstaff
15. Mother Birthplace (City, town, or county) Steubenville (State...) O.
16. (a) Informant's signature Cora Bickerstaff [signed]
16. (b) Address Mineral Ridge O.
17. (a) Burial, cremation, or other;
17. (b) Date (Month, Day, Year) Dec 26 1945
17. (c) Place Mingo Junction Ohio
17. (d) (Name of Embalmer) J. B. Lane....
18. (a) (Signature of Funeral Director) J B Lane [signed]....
18. (b) Address Mineral Ridge, O
19. (a) (Date received local registrar) Dec 24 1945
19. (b) (Registrar's signature) D. R. Mellon [signed]

MEDICAL CERTIFICATION
20. Date of Death: Month Dec day 23 year 1945 hour 5 minute 45 AM
21. I hereby certify that I attended the deceased from Dec 20, 1945, to Dec 23, 1945; that I last saw him alive on Dec 23, 1945; and that death occurred on the date and hour stated above.
Immediate cause of death Carcinoma prostate gland
Duration 2 yrs....
22. [blank]
23. Signature Dunsmore Thomas M.D. [signed]
Address 421 Robbins Ave
Date signed 12/24/45

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This obituary was published in The Niles Daily Times on Monday, December 24, 1945, p. 1, column 5.

E. J. Bickerstaff Succumbs After Short Illness

Edward J. Bickerstaff, 74, a carpenter by trade, died Sunday at 5:45 a.m. in South Side Hospital, Youngstown, following a short illness. He had resided in Mineral Ridge 32 years and made his home on Kelly St.

The deceased was born April 27, 1871, in Steubenville. His wife, Mary Thompson Bickerstaff, died in 1940.

Surviving are eight children, William, John, Dan, Eddy, Andrew, Mrs. Emma Meinzen, Mrs. Mary Morris, all of Mineral Ridge, and Cora at home, 23 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren, a sister, Mrs. Flora Swickard of East Liverpool, and a brother, John, of Taylor's Corners.

The body was removed from the Lane Funeral Home to the late residence today where funeral services will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery in Steubenville.

Friends may call at the residence at any time.

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You may notice on the death certificate that Cora Bickerstaff was the informant. Cora was Edward J.'s youngest daughter who was about 34 years old at the time of his death and still single. With the passing of her father, she became an orphan. Certainly she was distraught at the death of her father so it's no wonder she gave his mother's name as "Mary Bickerstaff," the name of her own mother, instead of Emma Nelson, Edward's mother's name.

I think it's interesting that neither of Edward J.'s parents are named in the obituary. Also, the obituary states that Edward J. left a surviving sister and brother. They are, in fact, half brother and sister. Edward J.'s own mother died when he was barely 7 years old. His father, Ellis, married twice again.

I think it's incredibly sad when someone dies so close to Christmas. It must color all future Christmases.