GEN-NYS-L Archives

From:
Subject: Re: NYS Vital Record Indexes
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2000 21:22:18 +0000

The NY State Vital Records are also available at the Rundell Library in
Rochester, NY, as if Oct. of this year.

Lanah


On Thu, 14 Dec 2000 08:29:52 -0500 "NColeman" <>
writes:
> Dear Mary:
> Yes, there are NY State Death Indexes available for
> searching up to the year 1949. They are available at either
> the NY State Archives in Albany or at the NARA in New York
> City. They are on fiche, pretty easy to search, and the
> years 1894-1948 shouldn't take much more than an hour or so
> to review (if you work fast...). Since Bargewell isn't a
> terribly common name, this should go rather quickly.
>
> Now, that is IF HE DIED, and if he died in NY State. The
> city search would take considerably longer due to the fact
> that the death indexes are not uniform and can be slightly
> more difficult to work with to do a thorough job. But, it
> can be done. Plan on a couple of hours for this (with a
> break for your eyes!). The period 1894-1898 records are on
> separate reels for Kings and New York County. Queens,
> Richmond, and Westchester (part of the Bronx) will be on the
> State Index for that period.
>
> You may also want to check out the divorce records at the NY
> County (or whatever county he and the wife lived in before
> he disappeared) Clerk's office for the years 1894-1900, that
> are currently available to see if an action wasn't filed by
> either he or his wife to rule this out as well. There's a
> 100 year privacy rule in effect for divorces, so this is
> about as far as you can review I believe. They may let you
> look at indexes for a broader period, but probably not the
> files themselves.
>
> Check the probate records. If he owned any property (over
> $1000 for a probate, less so for an administration) an
> administration may have been filed on him by his wife. Or,
> he may have even left a will if he was ill and knew he was
> dying.
>
> I assume you have already checked for a sighting of him in
> the 1900 census? Did he become a citizen? Check all courts
> in the area for a naturalization Declaration & Petition.
> See who vouched for him.
>
> Did he have a hazardous job (one that would expose him to
> lead, for instance - like coppersmithing or painting)? He
> may have had to be committed if he fell ill (mentally or
> physically) to some of the more potent poisons used back
> then. This could have been lead (or other heavy metals),
> mercury, arsenic, etc. Many toxins outlawed today were
> commonly used in hundreds of trades and professions and
> exposed the workers to their effects, resulting in physical
> or mental illness. Death was not always certain or
> immediate. And, one of the most prevalent diseases of all,
> TB, sent many patients (inmates) to distant hospitals for
> treatment.
>
> If you have a record of the immigration (ship list), who
> else accompanied him? Were there any known relatives of his
> in the area? When someone "disappears," you may have to
> look to collateral people to find him again. Sponsors at
> weddings, baptisms, naturalizations, etc., could be helpful.
> Business associates. Check the city directories to see if
> he shows up again at another location.
>
> Last, but not least, there are name change records and
> criminal records that could be checked to see if one of
> those scenarios can explain his absence/disappearance.
>
> Don't get overwhelmed, just take it one step at a time and
> rule things out, beginning with the censuses and death
> records.
>
> Hope this helps.
> Best regards. Nancy.
> NColeman
>
> NYC/Long Island Family History Research Services:
> http://www.genealogyPro.com/ncoleman.html
> County Coordinator for the Nassau GenExchange:
> http://www.genexchange.org/county.cfm?state=ny&county=nassau
> Irish Family History Forum - VP Membership
> http://www.ifhf.org email:
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <>
> To: <>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2000 9:33 PM
> Subject: NYS Vital Record Indexes
>
>
> > Hello Listers-
> > I've recently joined the list and need to ask a very
> specific
> > question...My husband's gr. grandfather Alfred BARGEWELL
> came to America,
> > fathered a daughter in 1894, then promptly disappeared.
> Have no idea if there
> > was a divorce, death etc. but suspect divorce. I
> understand from cruising
> > different web sites that there exists an index to vital
> records for non-New
> > York City events. I am considering a future assault on
> these indexes for his
> > death record, which would mean covering several years
> since I have no idea
> > when he died. What kind of an ordeal would I be in for?
> How are the indexes
> > formatted, ie, is this going to be a fairly easy (although
> time consuming)
> > task, or would this be ridiculously lengthy due to the
> layout of the indexes?
> > For example, if the question were posed to me about the
> Michigan indexes, I
> > would have to say this would be a fairly difficult
> undertaking because each
> > year is a different index with only a few years on each
> roll of microfilm,
> > indexed by letter of last name but not alphabetized within
> that letter,
> > seperated by gender, and the quality of the film is
> atrocious.
> > I'd appreciate some advice on this as I have not
> researched in NYS
> > before.
> > Thank you,
> > Mary (in Michigan)
> >
> >
> >
> > ==== GEN-NYS Mailing List ====
> > Visit the GEN-NYS-L web page:
> > http://www.rootsweb.com/~nozell/GEN-NYS-L/
> >
> >
>
>
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>

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