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From:
Subject: [ALL] Re: Hazelwood Funeral Home
Date: Tue, 02 Jul 2002 19:41:59 -0400
References: <7d.298d5e13.2a51adce@aol.com> <3D2090AA.DBE2C317@ntcnet.com>


07-02-02 @ 1940 EDT

The response to the query of this Subject: on the List and privately was
very much appreciated with viable suggestions. Some were already accom-
plished as follows:

o In response to two voice mail messages to the SAUVAGEOT FUNERAL HOME at
126 Hazelwood Ave, Pittsburgh, an office person called back, and finally
confirmed that they had been the FISHER & OWENS Funeral Home in 1927,
among several others since then. She offered to research the deceased of
my interest, but cautioned "that they didn't keep records then as they do
now."

o The Certificate of Death from the Vital Records Div., Dept. of Health,
D.C. for my wife's grandmother, MARTHA JANE STRAYER, simply stated for
"Place of Burial, Cremation, or Removal" PITTSBURGH, PENN. MAY 16, 1927.

O It was the originating funeral home in D.C., that had a funeral
expense account for her, which included a long distance call to the FISHER
& OWENS Funeral Home in Pittsburgh that offered the supposition that they
managed the funeral on the Pittsburgh-end. Also that the "Funeral Service
was in Hazelwood, Pittsburgh, Pa."

o Funeral "notices" (no detailed obituaries) appearing in two D.C. news-
papers offered no more information than already known from the Death
Certificate.

o As the STRAYERs lived in the Hazelwood area in the early 1900s, the
Calvary Cemetery seemed a good possibility for the burial location of the
them. An inquiry to the office there, found no burial record for them.

o As MARTHA STRAYER's entire family had moved to Washington, D.C. before
1910, where she was listed as a widow, in the 1910 census, it was presumed
that her husband, JOHN W. STRAYER, had died in Pittsburgh prior to their
move.

o County of Allegheny Register of Wills informed that they were unable to
find any records for JOHN W. STRAYER. The form letter also informed:

> Prior to 1905, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania did not require the
> immediate registration of Births and Deaths. Subsequently, many pre-
> 1905 births and deaths are not officially recorded".

o As the Division of Vital Records in New Castle, Pa, began in 1906, my
query to them for the Death Certificate of JOHN W. STRAYER specified "Date
of Death" - 1906, believing that as a starting point for their research,
whether alphabetically or chronologically. - I received a "No Record Certi-
fication" from them on May 31, 2002.

o Another researcher accessed Pittsburgh City Directories for that era.
In 1907, JOHN W. STRAYER's home was at 4736 Sylvan Ave. In 1908, MARTHA
STRAYER was listed as (widow of John W.) 4736 Sylvan Ave. - Subject to
when the Directories were published, JOHN W. died sometime during 1907 or
1908.

o Subsequently, a list subscriber located and furnished the obituary for
JOHN W. STRAYER as found in the Pittsburgh Press, 10 Feb. 1908. This pro-
vided the usual obituary information regarding place of birth (no parents
names given); home location; career; club and church memberships; and
survivors. However, no information regarding funeral service or burial
location.

With all of the above, the bottom line still remains, "WHERE ARE JOHN W.
and MARTHA J. STRAYER BURIED?"

Carl C.
Upstate NY

P.S. - Considering the above results, it appears that the Div. of Vital
Records in New Castle, Pa. only did a chronological search for
JOHN W. in 1906, while an alphabetical search might have found his
name and subsequent death date of Feb. 9, 1908. - C.

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