This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/WMB.2ACE/4861.1 Message Board Post: Dear John, Do you have your mother's death certificate? Or birth certificate? If not, write to the vital records department of the state in which she was born and to the Missouri State Dept. of Health for her death record. The death record should give her parents' names if they were known to the informant. A birth record is generally better. http://www.health.state.mo.us/ On the left hand side of the website, click on birth and death records to find out how to get one or both of them. Was your mother old enough to have been on the 1930 census? Do you know her maiden name? What religion was she? There may be church records available for information. Do you have her obituary? If not, email the St. Louis Public Library at the following website-see item # 13 . http://www.slpl.lib.mo.us/libsrc/geneinfo.htm Also, look at what else is available at the library. It may come in handy when you trace your mother's ancestors back. If your parents were married in St. Louis/St. Louis County and you have a good idea of the date, ask the library for a lookup in the indexes. See item # 5. If you live in the St. Louis area, you might want to join the St. Louis Genealogical Society or a society in the city where you live. They should all be able to help you with general information on searching for ancestors. http://www.stlgs.org/index.shtml Do you have a family bible or funeral cards? Old letters with addresses? These can be sources of information. Do you know where your mother is buried? Check to see if there are family members in the same cemetery. Is your mother's maiden name Freiner? There are Freiners on the Catholic cemeteries index. http://www.stlcathcem.com/iSearch.aspx