Is anyone a family history buff?

[Lindagerr]

Hi everyone, I have not been here in a while I had the month from H#LL in May.

What I need help with is how to find the grave sites of some relatives. They Died from ~ 1933-1969 all in Staten Island New York. I have joined Ancestry.com and a records search site and I still can't find anything except Social Security numbers on 2 of 5 people.

The reason I am looking is my father died on May 23 and I want to put his remains with his family, but no one is left to tell me where they are.

Besides that my husband got laid off on May 15 from the job he has had for 30 years.

In between I helped my Church (co-chaired) a very busy weekend of fund raising that made almost $60,000.00!

Oh and in my spare time I taught 5 days a week 1/2 days.

We get out of school late here so I have 5 more days then I am free!!!hilarious

Then maybe I can think about getting back into study and degree plans.

Well CONGRATULATIONS to anyone who passed a big test or graduated lately and I hope everyone is well.

[Namivie]

If you know approximately when they died (month/year) you can check the local newspapers for obituaries. That may tell you the cemetary that they're buried in. If there's a local historical society, they may have cemetery records that can tell you if the family member is buried there.

If you don't know when they died you might also check the local courthouse for any wills that were probated. That could help narrow your search.

[Namivie]

Sorry my computer hiccupped and I double posted.

[P00057870]

If you are cleaning out things, it was customary for families in the past to make notes in their one and only family bible as to the dates of births and deaths. So always check in the bibles before passing them on to anyone else.

More recent families would put any pamphlets concerning ceremonies in them, whether birth, marriage, or deaths.

I'm sure other IC users may have other suggestions, as well.

Another idea, if you know the religion they practiced, sometimes there was only one church in existence there (or synagog, etc.), and if there was a cemetary that was customarily used by the members, they also used to keep some records. Again, it will come back to dates to help determine this.

[frankiebleyes]

Staten Island, New York wow that is a tough one. Let's see, by any chance is the last name something that can be easily identifiable. If so, you might check each county for New York for deaths and births. Staten Island means there is a possibility that some of them lived or died in New Jersey. Religion - if they were catholic the New York Catholic society may be able to help you. Same if they were Jewish. I was born Catholic, lived in a large city, but regionally everything birth, death, first communion, etc. went to the arch dies(can't spell), but you know what I mean.

No other suggestions. If it is a common name, you probably will have a problem. My mother's maiden name was Rice, her father and two aunts drowned in a boating accident in Rumford, Maine in the summer of 1945 (I can't find a lick of information about them anywhere) and believe I've tried. Rumford is a small town, no local paper back then (nothing in county or state records). New York should be different, but its scary because it is such a large city and the records could be anywhere.

[alissaroot]

I don't have any helpful suggestions, but I wanted to tell you I am sorry for your loss. ({({HUGS)})}

[Sunshine]

Linda- my deepest sympathies on the passing of your dad.

[NAP]

Hi!

I am so sorry about your dad.

Here are some good sites with cemetery listings:

Find A Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records

Cemetery Records Online

Nationwide Gravesite Locator

Also USGenWeb:

New York Counties Selection List (choose a county)

NYGenWeb: Your Gateway to New York Genealogy and History

Searching with Google could turn up something, too.

Also, the local historical society should be able to help you with this.

I hope you find the information you need.

NAP

[Lindagerr]

Thank You all, I appreciate the thoughts and suggestions.

I know they were all born, lived, and died in Staen Island New York, but the last name is Vazquez sometimes spelled Vasquez. That is like the spanish version of Smith. The most recent death is 1969 and they range back to ~1932-36. I have even joined a couple of pay sites, but all I could find was the Social security death index listing for the last 2 one in 66 and one in 69 neither said anything except the birth and death dates and ss #. Only my grand parents were maried and that was before 1920. I have no family record except my fathers Navy discharge papers. Everything else went to another lost uncle who I am not sure, but I believe is dead with no living heirs sio I have no idea where to look.

I just want to add a warning to all you younger people out there. Appreciate your family while you have them and take the time to learn your family history. It is much easier to learn these things when there is someone around to tell you.

[Gary]

Linda, I couldn't agree more. Very sorry to hear of your dad's passing. After my dad died (DEC 07), I wished we talked more of his time in Korea during the Korean War. I found a website for/about Korean Vets and there was so much I would have liked to ask him. I don't take time for granted as I get older, my time w/my little girls I value as precious. Their fun is my fun. I plan on sitting down w/my mom and videotaping our family history through conversation, like you said, once their gone, it's too late. I wish you the best in your search.