Barb asked: > Do you have a death notice or obituary for him from any San > Francisco newspapers? This could be confirmation for you. The SF > Public Library has an obituary service, where they will send an obit > (if they have it) in an SAS envelope included with the original > request. There are stipulations. Here's their website and mailing > address: >   > http://sfpl.lib.ca.us/librarylocations/main/obits.htm >   > Obituary Requests > Magazines and Newspapers Center > San Francisco Public Library > 100 Larkin Street > San Francisco, CA 94102 Sorry, I should have noted in my original message that the SF Public LIbrary searched through the SF Chronicle/Examiner for the period 09 to 18 Nov 1939 for a death notice/obit for Frank "Harry" Kirby and found nothing. This does not mean the newspaper record is not there, but that it wasn't found. It would not surprise me if there is no death record/notice in the newspaper. He apparently had a rough life and so at death there may not have been anyone interested in submitting a death notice to the newspapers. > Also, the unknown 'x' digit for the State file # looks like a > '2'.  If you end up needing to send to the State for the death > certificate, you might be able to confirm at a local library (if > you're in CA) or at a local LDS Family History Center by checking > out the CA Death Index microfilm page and enlarging it. Well, I live near to Salt Lake City, so definitely I need to look at the index at the FHL to get the correct number. Someone else wrote me and confirmed that the missing digit is probably "2". > I've done it myself and it worked for me.  The City and County of San > Francisco Dept of Health takes all of 3 months (plus!) to return > vital documents by mail.  The State website says they're even longer > if you go through them. Is it faster or more reliable to go in person to the SF Dept. of Health to request this record? That's one reason for my request here -- to ask if someone could physically go there (maybe as part of other research they are doing) to ask for the record. I find when done by mail things are not only slow but may not work well since one cannot interact with the person at the archive. For example, the issue of what exactly is the correct file #. Plus there may be indexes searchable by the walk-in (some places allow this for older records) to expedite matters. Anyone here confirm that a walk-in could get faster service and/or it works out better? Thanks! Jon