And sometimes they may have changed the name, from time to time. My grandfather was a rail roader, and there was some speculation that was the reason why there was no social security number. Actually, we did locate a ss#, but he had changed his name from Clifford to David to Earl. Much of the problem rests with us who are looking for the easy way to find an ancestor - and there is no telling why they changed birthdates and names (and I don't mean maiden names!). But you must exhaust all of the avenues, and then go back and try some new ones. All of the reasons given below are good ones. They just don't tell all of the story, and even I can't do that because I haven't experienced them. But the hunting can be fun, even if frustrating. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pat Lowery" <palowery70@comcast.net> To: <paclearf@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 1:25 PM Subject: Re: [PACLEARF] social security > The following site explains why an entry might be missing from the SSDI: > > http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/ssdi/missing.html > > Mark & Cherie Moyer wrote: >> If someone is currently receiving benefits, is the death still shown in >> the >> SSDI? My dad died in 2002; my mother is receiving his benefits, but he >> is >> still not listed, and I never understood why. >> >> Thanks. >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Farnsworth" <farnsworth@charter.net> >> To: <paclearf@rootsweb.com> >> Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 10:12 AM >> Subject: Re: [PACLEARF] social security >> >> >> >>> Judy, this is correct. Only when someone filed for the benefits is the >>> person listed on the SSDI. We had a terrible time getting my >>> Grandmother >>> to >>> file as she was not about to accept "relief", as she called it. Her >>> pride >>> (and that of her generation) considered SS to be a government handout >>> and >>> she wasn't about to lower herself to living off of what she considered >>> other >>> people's charity and would not accept the "entitlement". We live in a >>> different world today. >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: paclearf-bounces@rootsweb.com >>> [mailto:paclearf-bounces@rootsweb.com] >>> On Behalf Of jj.carroll >>> Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 8:48 AM >>> To: paclearf@rootsweb.com >>> Subject: Re: [PACLEARF] social security >>> >>> Thank you. Don't have a social security number, or know if nobody >>> filed. >>> But the information helps clear up a muddy situation. >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: "Judith Heald" <jheald@pennswoods.net> >>> To: <paclearf@rootsweb.com> >>> Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 6:31 AM >>> Subject: [PACLEARF] social security >>> >>> >>> >>>> My Dad was a Dairy farmer who died in 1966. When I looked for his >>>> Social >>>> Security Death Index in 2000+ I could not locate it. I finally went >>>> backwards using his SS# and called Social Security. After proving that >>>> I >>>> was indeed his daughter, they told me no one had ever filed for >>>> benefits. >>>> Apparently my Mom, thinking that because he was self employed, did not >>>> have >>>> a SS # (as it was not required for the self-employed then), never filed >>>> for >>>> benefits. For some strange reason even the lawyer missed it. The >>>> benefits >>>> to Mom would probably been minimal, but no filing was even done, >>>> therefore >>>> it is NOT in the system. So - if no one files for benefits - I don't >>>> believe you will find it in the system! >>>> >>>> Judy >>>> >>>> >>>> ------------------------------- >>>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >>>> PACLEARF-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >>>> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >>>> >>> ------------------------------- >>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >>> PACLEARF-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >>> quotes >>> in the subject and the body of the message >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------- >>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >>> PACLEARF-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >>> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >>> >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> PACLEARF-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > PACLEARF-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message