This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: RBestrom7380 Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.california.counties.sierra/638.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: It STRONGLY appears the two death records concern the same person. But, let me first correct mistakes made in the explanation previously given. The "last residence" on the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) has NOTHING to do with a benefit check. It is sometimes the location where notification of death was sent to the Social Security Administration (Funeral Home, Coroner, Attorney, family member(applying for survivor or death benefits), or other persons. It is sometimes the location where the final payment (Death Payment, today about $255.00 was sent to a family member). The "last benefits" notation that appeared later was NOT necessarily concerning a benefit sent to the person. It was also identified for the location where the final Death Payment was sent. Back in 1973, it might have been sent to a spouse, or ANYONE that had paid the burial costs. In the early 2000's, the law was changed to just be a spouse. Persons are listed on the SSDI that had NEVER received a payment; but a surviving spouse had received the death payment, OR Survivor payments. AND, surviving children under 18 are also recipients of monthly payments as a survivor. The "last benefit" for a deceased might not appear because a survivor (spouse or child) are STILL receiving them. The SSA does NOT go back to add, change, or correct information. Now, the Social Security Death Index is NOT a database to identify deaths for genealogy purposes. It is actually called the Death master File: The Death Master File is a database owned by the SSA. The DMF contains the death data of those that had received Social Security Benefits...and those that never received a dime, but their descendants received the death benefit or dependant benefit. A person may have received benefits for decades, but not be on the list. A person's data may be wrong. There have been persons still living that were on the list. The SSA sells this DMF via the National Technical Information Service, plus updates; but, at a cost so far prohibitive to us (Approx $6,900.00 for the database on DVD or CD-Rom, a Yearly subscription by Month to CD-Rom updates is $5,520.00 and the weekly updates $10,000). Full Explanation: http://www.ntis.gov/products/ssa-dmf.aspx Now, as to her death...Per another posting you had received: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.california.counties.nevada/1836.1.1.1.1.1.2.3.1.1/mb.ashx A native of Forest City, Sierra County, CA. Appeared to be a Mrs Rowlands (Son, Walter R. Rowlands of Grass Valley) ---a Walter William Rowlands married Zella Gladys Vivian on 11/18/1915. Later married to Woods (Step-son Lawrence) She died October 22, 1973, in Grass Valley, Nevada County, CA. Cremation at the Sierra View Memorial Park in Marysville, Yuba County, CA Note: A Walter Rowlands died in 1919 in Forest, Sierra Co, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=rowlands&GSfn=walter&GSbyrel=in&GSdyrel=in&GSst=6&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=61415200&df=all& The 1900 Census for Nevada, Nevada County, CA Zella Vivian, born July 1892 to Benjamin and Lizzie Vivian. In 1910, was living in Forest, Sierra County, CA with widowed mother and siblings. The 1920 Census for Forest, Sierra County, Zella, age 27, widow, son Raymond age 2 6/12. (About July 1917). You have the rest... Ron Bestrom Tacoma, WA Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.