Genealogy Chat

I have been looking without success to see what system there is, if any (surely there must be one?) for the registration of births, marriages and deaths in USA. Is it the responsibility of each state to do this or is there a central registry, Or both (as in UK where the General Register Office holds a secondary index taken from the original indexes held by the local register offices).
I am hoping to trace details for someone who lived first in New Jersey but died in Florida.

Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks

Geoff

Have you tried Social Security Death Index?

http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/

Yes I have found his death record but I want to find out when he got married (1920s?) and when his children were born. I had even less success with his mother who died in 1947 (as I have since discovered). It seems that the SSDI doesn't include people who died before c1960, maybe even earlier.

BMD tend to be held at State level, and sometimes even County level. Apart from SSDI as mentioned by Margaret, there tends not to be a central index at National level.

Ancestry to hold some Florida Collections, as well as SSDI

Florida Marriage Collection, 1822-1875 and 1927- 2001
Florida Death Index, 1877-1998
Florida Divorce Index, 1927-2001

If you don't have access, someone could have a look for you.

There may be WW2 registration forms available which may give details of NOK, and of course the 1930 census with a wealth of detail.

Thanks for all that info.
I don't have access to Ancestry so if some kind soul could look him up here is all I know.
Henry (or Harry) Ingram, born Birmingham England, 05/07/1898
died Saint Petersburg, Florida, May 1972

I believe he lived in Bloomfield New Jersey until 1947 (year his mother died).
Married Betrice (Beatrice?) surname unknown in 1920s? (I'm guessing) and had three children, names unknown.

Any more info gratefully received,

Geoff

It's exactly like the UK - they took the British colonial jurisdictions into modern time - so just like the UK, there is no nationwide system - each of the countries (or colonies or states) sets their own rules about civil registration (just like the UK), and also has their own laws regarding marriage (again, just like the UK).

Usually, in the USA, there isn't a local registration record of births and deaths, but a statewide one - at least nowadays, although the early registrations might have been done at the county level. Nowadays, marriages are often registered at the county level,and the records copied to a central statewide registery.

Google cyndislist, look up the state you want and check under vital stats.

Florida Death Index, 1877-1998 about Harry Ingram
Harry Ingram
Death Date: 16 May 1972
County of Death: Pinellas
State of Death: Florida
Age at Death: 73
Race: White
Birth Date: 5 Jul 1898

No image or further details

World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
Harry Ingram
City: Newark
County: Essex
State: New Jersey
Birth Date: 5 Jul 1898
Race: White
FHL Roll Number: 1754348
DraftBoard: 12

Occ - Electrician - employer J R Nelson, Bond St, Newark

Address - 32 Wilson? Ave, Newark, Essex co.
NOK - Florence Ingram mother same address

Father naturailsed before his majority

Height - Tall
Build - Medium
Eyes and hair - brown

1930 United States Federal Census
Harry Ingram
Home in 1930: Belleville, Essex, New Jersey
Age: 32
Estimated birth year: abt 1898
Birthplace: England
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's name: Betrice Ingram (32, born NY, father b New Jersey, mother French Canadian)
Race: White

Both age 25 at marriage - no children
think he immigrated either 1910 or 1912 - bit blurry
Employed by a Contractor as an Electrician

So they married about 1923 ish
Could the children have been adopted??

Sorry - can't find anything else within the US

New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
You searched for Ingram Refine your search


All Immigration & Travel Results Viewing 1-3 of 3

View Record Name Arrival Date Birth Year Port of Departure Ethnicity/ Nationality Ship Name View Ship Image View Passenger List
View Record
Florence Ingram 1 Oct 1910 abt 1872 Liverpool, England English Campania
View Record
Henry Ingram 1 Oct 1910 abt 1899 Liverpool, England English Campania
View Record
Florence May Ingram 1 Oct 1910 abt 1901 Liverpool, England English Campania

Thanks +++DetEcTive+++. That's a great help. Re Harry's children, I have assumed he had three because his mother's obituary mentions 4 grandchildren and as far as I know his sister Florence had only one. They may have been late starting a family but as we know most children are born within a few years of marriage. But now that I know he was living in Belleville maybe i could make enquiries with the local library, they may have local directories. I have been using Bloomfield Library for info on sister Florence in the same way.

Thanks again.

Geoff

I suppose its possible that Beatrice dropped out of the scene -divorced/died - and he remarried? Not sure how we could sort that one out, but at least you have a starting point.

There could be a Florida obit somewhere.

Yes +++DetEcTive+++ divorce is a possibilty, I'm pretty sure his sister Florence divorced her husband, they were living apart in 1930 but is there any way of tracing divorce records in US?

I think you may need to wait until a Transatlantic member (like Margaret!) wakes up!

You could order a copy of Harry's dc - put VITAL RECORDS as well as FLORIDA in the search bar.

I have had a search around for divorces, but nothing is obvious - also, if you have the patience, you could try searching for Harry's obit on line -

http://www.ancestorhunt.com/florida_newspaper_obituaries.htm

Most of them seem fairly recent, but you may strike lucky.

Good luck - I'm bowing out!!!!

He went to Bermuda in 1950.

Name: Harry Ingram
Arrival Date: 19 May 1950
Birth Year: abt 1899
Birth Location: England
Age: 51
Gender: Male
Port of Departure: Bermuda
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Ship Name: Queen of Bermuda
Search Ship Database: Search the Queen of Bermuda in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database

He's with Helen Ingram, 40 of same address, 117 Chestnut Drive, Packanack Lake, New Jersey. She was born New York.

On the 1920 census he's with his parents, Henery, age 50, born England, emigrated 1912, Florence, wife, 49, born England, emigrated 1911, Harry, son 21, born England and emigrated 1919. Henery is a painter, Harry an electrician.

The Ellis Island site has Florence arriving New York, 1 Oct. 1910 aboard the Campania from Liverpool. She's with son Harry, age 11 and daughter Florence, age 9. Last residence was Birmingham and closest relative in England was father-in-law, Mr.Ingram, 25 Ascot? Rd., Birmingham. They're going to join husband Henry Ingram, 4 Jatey? St. Newark, New Jersey.

Hello Margaret,

Many thanks for all that. Interesting that Harry visited Bermuda in 1950 with Helen, presumably his (second) wife. Also I note the erros in 1920 census. henry arrived in US in 1907, not 1912 and Florence in 1910 not 1911. Confusing that Harry is said to have emigrated in 1919 though, maybe just another typo? He arrived in 1910 with Florence.

Geoff