Re: OBIT Notice
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In reply to:
OBIT Notice
James Baker 10/10/02
He is listed as Thomas PEEK on the online Social Security Death Index :
http://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgihttp://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi
The dates you've posted are correct. His social security card was issued in New York State. Unfortunately for the genealogist, no last place of residence is stated. You can guess at a state if you wish. You can use the Rootsweb site to post an annotation (such as a plea for contact with relatives) to the decedent's entry. To do that, you click on "Add Post-em."
After you've guessed at a state, you can apply for a death certificate. Most states have centralized archives at the state capital for this purpose. The addresses of the state archives are online at :
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/howto/w2w/w2welcom.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/nchs/howto/w2w/w2welcom.htm
If you are successful and gain the death certificate, I believe it will mention his permanent place of residence and the exact date of death. You can use those facts to search for an obituary in the newspaper---it would be difficult in a big city with many newspapers. You may also find a living relative mentioned as "Informant" on the death certificate. If not, you could ask the funeral director and cemetery (named on the certificate) who paid the bill. I wonder if funeral directors keep copies of obituaries.
If the decedent were wealthy enough to leave a will, it might be on file in the county courthouse. Wills usually name relatives.
The magazine "The Genealogical Helper" once published an anecdote about a genealogist who wanted to make contact with the relatives of the decedent. So she visited his grave and taped some flowers and a note onto the tombstone, to be discovered by future mourners.
Reg Niles
[email protected]