I got this off of a NC/SC-Roots list at Maiser in May of 1997 Some fairly new to genealogy should be aware that often one can acquire very useful information, maybe jump back 1 more generation, learn names of some unknown 'cousins' etc. by doing the following: 1. From soc. security death index note date of death, place and county of relative of interest. 2. Contact county clerk of the county where deceased died. 3. Ask that clerk if she'll check the d/c and give u name of Funeral Home. 4. Contact that funeral home and ask for a copy of FUNERAL HOME JACKET file of deceased. That file will surely contain useful info. perhaps much better than a newspaper obit. ***** Note: This gentleman says he did the above sequence and has on his desk the jacket file of kin that died in 1988. It contains full name of deceased when and where born; correct name of both his parents; maiden name of his surviving widow; name and city of residence in 1988 of a siser; a niece; 2 grandchildren; married name of a deceased dtr that died 1982; name of cemetaru time of the funeral on 13 Jan. 1988 etc. The results will be that you can learn names of perhaps as as many as 100 'cousins' for your data base that you didn't previously know you even had- by contact with some named survivors. Epilogue...just remember that the funeral home jacket file just may provide useful info.. as there are many on the soc. security benefit index born well before 1900. Pat