new york- westchester death look up

[colanne]

I am looking for the death of my grandfather , William Scott , who emigrated from Dundee ,Scotland , to New York in 1923 and initially lived in Brooklyn.

There are lots of William Scotts but this one as the correct birth year.

social security number:          068-30-7182  born Aug 22 , 1898
                                                                died  May 1981
last known residence:            Elmford
location of last benefit paid:   South Salem , Lake Kitchawan , Lewisboro

Is there any way of finding out who William's parents were or any other information about his death? If I could find out I would know if he was my grandfather or not.
My father is now 87 years old and he does not know what happened to his father!
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Colanne

[shellyesq]

Do you have William on a passenger list?  Where did you get the information about his year of birth? 

[jenny36]

I see him on the Boston Passenger List October 1923 on he "Megantic" at age 25 coming from his sister Margaret Kennedy, 43 Nethergate, Dundee, going to the home of his friend Thomas Bolland at 19 Freeman Street, Brooklyn, NY

[colanne]

Thank you , Shelleyesq and Jenny36 for replying. I appreciate it.

I have William's birth info from the Scottish records. He was born on 1st May 1898 but I think that he may have given incorrect info when he boarded the Megantic. It says that he was unmarried but he had married 3 months earlier  ( my gran must have been just pregnant and no more with my dad! )and he gives his age as 25 years and 1 month which would make his birthday Aug 22nd.

I don't know if these were mistakes or if he gave wrong info deliberately.
My gran took my dad over to New York in 1926 ( when he was 2 ) and returned in 1929 and my dad never saw his father again. Gran went over again for a few years but things did not work out and she returned to Dundee and lost all contact with William.

I have looked through social security deaths for a William with birthday 1st May 1898 and there is not one so I thought I would try 22nd Aug . I just don't know if he is the correct William.

My grandfather's parents were William Scott  and Jane Johnstone from Dundee.

I don't know how I can find the parents of the William who died in Westchester in 1981 to see if his parents are William and Jane Johnstone. I don't know if it is the correct death year or not. I am clutching at straws.

I think there is a 50 year closure on buying death certificates from the authorities unless you are related but I don't know if I am related or not.

Where can I go from here?

[shellyesq]

If you have his birth information, do you have his parents' names from that?  Does the sister's name on the passenger list match up with what you have?

One thing to keep in mind is that not every death is included on the Social Security Death Index.  With a few rare exceptions, it mainly has deaths from the 1960's forward.  If your William died before that, he wouldn't be listed on there.

There is also a William Scott born 2 May 1898 on the Social Security Death Index and his last residence was Wappingers Falls, New York.  I'd think he might be a possibility.

There is information on ordering the originial Social Security application towards the bottom of this page:  http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rwguide/lesson10.htm  That generally contains the parents' names and a place of birth.

[colanne]

Thank you, Shelleyesq , for your reply.

Ye,I have William's parents , Wlliam Scott and Jane Johnstone and that is him on the passenger list for the "Megantic".

I don't think that the William from Wappinger Falls is him. I contacted the library there a few years ago and the parents did not match.

I think perhaps William is not on the Social Security Death Index.

I followed the link you gave me but it would cost over 50 dollars to buy the death certificate and there is only a slim chance that it may be the correct William.

I will keep on looking.

Thanks