3 replies to this topic

[MakkuraTheFallen]

My step-dad has a ghost or someting in his house so i wanted to get some background on the house before i went there and looked around. Stuff like deaths in the house and what-not for the most part, i've tried looking for obituary's and murders but google isnt the best for that. Anything would help

[DeadTrish]

See if your town has a historical society. They usually can help. Find out where they store your archives. I've been able to track land purchases and stuff. Deaths are a little harder to research. Unless you look up old newspaper articles but you would need a time frame to do so. I would def stick to the historical society. If you don't have one there are always some type of local historians somewhere. Either that or just head to the library.

MakkuraTheFallen, on Feb 16 2010, 10:28 PM, said:

My step-dad has a ghost or someting in his house so i wanted to get some background on the house before i went there and looked around. Stuff like deaths in the house and what-not for the most part, i've tried looking for obituary's and murders but google isnt the best for that. Anything would help

[muggy]

DeadTrish, on Feb 24 2010, 09:43 AM, said:

See if your town has a historical society. They usually can help. Find out where they store your archives. I've been able to track land purchases and stuff. Deaths are a little harder to research. Unless you look up old newspaper articles but you would need a time frame to do so. I would def stick to the historical society. If you don't have one there are always some type of local historians somewhere. Either that or just head to the library.

MakkuraTheFallen, on Feb 16 2010, 10:28 PM, said:

My step-dad has a ghost or someting in his house so i wanted to get some background on the house before i went there and looked around. Stuff like deaths in the house and what-not for the most part, i've tried looking for obituary's and murders but google isnt the best for that. Anything would help

The public library will have backfiles of the local newspapers on micrifilm, or with luck, digitized online.

[Ghostly_designs]

The exact process will vary depending on the state where the house is located but a first step would be to research the land deed or title. In some states you will be give a copy of all transactions that involve the property all the way back to the first land title when you purchase the property, so see what he already has. A title search is often done when the property is purchased to verify that no one but the current owner has any claims to the land and if you can get hold of such records you are well on your way. You could hire someone to do a title assay or search for you but it can be costly and will require the assistance of the current land owner. Doing it yourself is possible and may cost a few dollars with copy charges and search fees from the county clerks office or what ever the legal office is that hold the land records.

Next check newspaper obituaries and county probate records especially during the period of about a year before a sale. People often downsize in their house size requirements after the death of a spouse. The transfer of ownership from husband to wife or husband and wife to just one of the spouses is many times required before a land sale and this is usually recorded in the probate records.

Next you could try asking neighbors about the history and information on previous owners. Finally I would suggest making friends with a genealogist and the librarians at a local genealogy library or public library since most of the same techniques are used in genealogy research. They will be able to guide you and possibly help when you run into some dead ends.

Warning, the entire process could take quite a bit of time and may not reveal any deaths. It could be the spirit had an attachment to the home and it was after the home was sold that the death of the previous owner occurred and then the spirit came back to a favored spot in it's life.