POLAND-ROOTS-L Archives
Archiver > POLAND-ROOTS > 2012-03 > 1331419090
From: <>
Subject: Re: [POLAND] 1840 Burial Record?
Date: Sat, 10 Mar 2012 16:38:10 -0600
References: <8ntjl79h4m99tani7ucnprrnmbaj5nk8kc@4ax.com><CABR+Ltxc2MsP9+89zzPjRxmXS3Y+423H2Q_OCjqWfLj-Kzb5GQ@mail.gmail.com><pk4kl7dht7o5albtup1eg775or7gh9trs4@4ax.com><941453819BE94FAA963108F42DCC65B9@FredVAIO><mtckl759c0mr16l781u1m2b9p9bd5k700r@4ax.com><4F5A449C.4020309@verizon.net><4A0D569CA1014DE5949042D9147365F1@FredVAIO><t86nl7lnvuodoh9ptvk2gsq70ateicqr4c@4ax.com><4F5BB3F1.6080509@pitt.edu>
In-Reply-To: <4F5BB3F1.6080509@pitt.edu>
Hi,
Joe Armata wrote:
> According to the Napoleonic code, the registrar did have to actually
> view the body before writing up the record. How closely this rule was
> followed is another question of course; we may never know.
Thanks for quoting the code, Joe. I knew it's available online, but I didn't
have time to look it up. It is helpful to know there was an actual
requirement to view the body before recording death. The language in the
records suggested that must be so. As you say, who knows how conscientiously
they followed the rules? But it's good to know what the rules said.
Given the realities of Polish life, especially in rural areas, I'm guessing
it was not too great a hardship for priests to comply. Going to their
parishioners to administer sacraments as needed was, and is, part of a
parish priest's job. (Incidentally, helping "rich, nosy Americans snoop
around" in the past is not.) Once you see things from their point of view,
many realities of genealogical research become easier to understand.
Fred
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