First, take a deep breath and consider the death certificate as a possible fact that may be about someone other than your ancestor. Other facts you need to ensure that this is the right person is to check the census records to see where (and if, of course) he is listed in 1900, 1910, etc. That will help you bracket his date of death. Then check the dates that the index covers -- if he died before 1905, he wouldn't be in the index at all yet, and if he died before 1900, he won't ever be in the index, and may not have even a death listing in the local records. The same thing applies to your great-grandparents -- Hall is not an uncommon surname, and neither are the given names you seek. Gather information from all the possible sources, identify the potential pitfalls with each one, and persevere. Just a name doesn't ensure that you're on the right track! As you continue your research, you'll no doubt find other information that will help you narrow down the search, or that don't agree with other records. I have a death certificate that is dated the day after the person's obituary appeared in the local paper. I have three gravestone transcriptions for the same person, and they have three different dates on them. And my great-grandfather, after 40+ years of marriage, didn't know his wife had been born in Minnesota and not Germany! A very wise man told me when I was just starting out: "You have to turn over every rock, and judge whether what you find is helpful or not." Mary At 12:04 PM 2/27/2007, you wrote: >I have a problem with a death certificate I recently made a copy of >at the MN Historical Society for my great grandfather. >The family member who assisted in completing the death certificate I >believe gave incorrect information. >Maybe one of you has an idea on how I start straightening it >out. What can I do now? > >The name on the certificate is Oscar Elmer Hall and states that he >was born in 1893. >I know his eldest child was born in 1891 and named Oscar A. Hall >(don't know what the A. is for)! >To make matters "worse", it states he was born in New Market MN and >died single in Farmington. >We believe our great grandfather was born in Sweden and immigrated >after Oscar A. was born and before their second son was born in September 1895. >I find only one Oscar Elmer Hall in the records at the MN >Historical Society, so I have to believe this is my great grandfather. >Is it possible no death certificate was written? How could a family >member get the data so wrong! > >My great grandparents lived and died in South St. Paul, MN (Dakota >County) and her death certificate confirms that. However, it states >her spouses' name was Anders O. Hall! The only death certificate I >find for an Anders Hall (at the MN Historical Society) states: > > > HALL, ANDERS E. > Date of Birth: 09/27/1886 > Place of Birth: OUT OF STATE > Mother Maiden Name: UNKNOWN > > Date of Death: 02/05/1969 > County of Death: HENNEPIN > > > > > >I am so confused! :) >Can anyone guide me? I am new at this. > >Thank you! > >Julie >"Have faith beyond the explainable" > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >[email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without >the quotes in the subject and the body of the message