Be Sure to Visit my new 1900 Galveston Storm Website at: http://freepages.genealogy.rootseb.com/~barnette 

SSDI PERPLEXING TO GENEALOGISTS

 Many genealogical researchers use the SSDI, the Social Security Master Death Index. Many are perplexed, however,  about why it was created and why names of people who should be on the list are not.

 The American Social Security system was created and championed by Franklin D. Roosevelt during the throes of the Great Depression. It was a scheme devised to allow workers to contribute into a fund during their active working years and withdraw from during their retirement years. The concept was presented to Congress in June 1934 and signed into law in August 1935.

 In late 1936 the U.S. Post Office distributed applications for social security numbers to places of employment across the nation. In January 1937 the government began collecting money for FICA, the Federal Insurance Contributions Act, through payroll deductions.

  The SSDI is a computerized database of names of deceased individuals whose estate was paid a claim from the Social Security death benefit fund. The database was released in the mid 1990's on CD-ROM and has become a popular research tool on several Internet websites, notably, http://www.ancestry.com,  http://www.heritagequest.com, http://www.rootsweb.com and http://www.everton.com.

 The SSDI lists the following information for a deceased individual: the person's last name, first name, social security number, date of birth, date of death, zip code of last residence and zip code of last lump sum payment.

 There are a number of reasons why a researcher may not find the name of a person they expect to locate in the database.

 1) Workers were added to the system incrementally over the years. Initially office and retail workers were covered. In later years, railroad workers, governmental workers, farmers, self employed persons and those working for companies overseas were added. Therefore, the person may never have been eligible for death benefits under the system.

 2) The Social Security Administration did not begin computerizing death claims until 1962. If the person died prior to 1962 they might not be in the database. 3) The person's death may not have been reported to the Social Security Administration, or 4) their information may be in the database but recorded incorrectly or under another name, such as, a nick name.

 To learn more about the Social Security Administration visit the history links on the informative SSA website at http://www.ssa.gov .

  TENNESSEE SEMINAR

 Charles A. Sherrill will be the featured speaker at the Mesquite Genealogical Society's all day fall workshop on Saturday September 9. Sherrill is the Director of Public Services at the Tennessee State Library and Archives in Nashville. His topics will consist of a comprehensive discussion on researching in Tennessee.

 For more information visit the MHGS website at http://members.aol.com/dstuart101/mesquite/pag e 1.htm , email jgorham1@juno.com or call Billy Joe Denton at 972-279-1666.

HISPANICS MEET IN CORPUS CHRISTI

 The 21st Annual Texas Conference on Hispanic Genealogy and History will be held in Corpus Christi September 7-10. For more information visit the webpage of the Hispanic Society of Houston at http://www.hispanicgs.com or email the society's president, Jose Guerra,  at joguerra@brokersys.com

SEMINAR IN BEAUMONT

 The Southeast Texas Genealogical and Historical Society will host their Fall Seminar on Saturday September 16 from 8:15 A. M. to 3:45 P.M. John A. Sellers will explain how to trace women ancestors, how to use probate records and other genealogical gems commonly found in courthouses.

 To find out more about this seminar, visit the SETGHS's website at http://www.rootsweb.com/~txsetghs/index.htm, email jtwhite50@hotmail.com or call Ednita Lane at 409-833-2759.

NEWS FROM THE BOOKSHELF

 Researchers with Alabama ancestry will be elated to learn Marilyn Davis Barefield's RESEARCHING IN ALABAMA: A Genealogical Guide has been revised and is back in print. It is available for $28.50, postpaid, from Marilyn Jackson, 3007 Dundee Circle, Birmingham, AL 35213-3425.

 Similar to Texas, Alabama has been governed by six governments, the French, the British, the Spanish, the Republic of West Florida, the American, the Confederacy and a second time under the United States.

 The book is divided into a number of informative chapters each describing different research aspects of the state. One chapter lists and explains the genealogical holdings of the major libraries in the state. Another chapter displays a series of helpful maps showing the division of counties within the state from 1798 through 1903 when the last county was created.

 Another chapter tells when each county was formed, from which county, or counties,  it was formed and when the various county records began being recorded. Of the 67 counties in Alabama, 17 have had major fire loss to their records. The author has set aside a special chapter to discuss the loss of those records and the types of records that would help one overcome "burned courthouse" problems in those counties.

 Other chapters contain bibliographies pertinent to the state, counties, and military campaigns, plus a list of genealogical societies and their genealogical periodicals.