Panama Canal Workers Records

Michaela Allain-John

I am trying to find any records for workers in the Panama Canal. My GGF was one of the foreign workers who died while working in the Panama Canal in December 1887.

where do I search for his records? where was he buried?

any help or direction is appreciated . thank you

AllanH01

We understand that your GGF worked on the Panama Canal and died there.

We suggest that you sign into Family Search then click on Search -- Research Wiki and then enter Panama Canal Zone. The FamilySearch Wiki is designed to assist researchers in their efforts. It has information such as History, Research Strategies, and in this case records. There is another link on that Wiki page called "looking for an Ancestor in the Panama Canal Zone, 1904-1914" located at the National Archives.

Good luck in your search efforts.

Michaela Allain-John

Thank you, however I was looking for 1887 when he died in the Panama Canal. the information did not assist

your reference was for 1904-1914

Miss Jacquie

Hello!

I found an interesting article from the National Archives that details what's available in death records in the Canal Zone. There are some that cover the year you're looking for. There are references included so you can even order the records yourself. Here's the link:

https://rediscovering-black-history.blogs.archives.gov/2015/06/02/accidents-injuries-and-deaths-in-the-canal-zone-1884-1999/

The earliest publications of the Canal Record turn up in the early 1900s. If you know the name of a hospital he was in, that might help you locate him.

Good luck with your search!