At 03:27 AM 1/4/98 -0800, you wrote: > > John WILL died 12 Jul 1890 and is buried at Samuel's Cemetery, >McClure. His first wife's name was Mary Ann (?) born 30 Nov 1821 >and died 21 Jan 1858. She's buried at Black Oak Ridge Cemetery, >Beaver Springs. John later married Leah PETERS. > > My other elusive ancestor is Peter KRATZER. Born 22 June 1848, >died 11 Nov 1912.. married Susan WERTZ, born 1 Dec 1848, died >27 Sept 1911. Both buried Evergreen Cemetery, Freeburg. > > What I can't find for either of these people is the names >of their parents. Kathy, I might be able to help you out with the KRATZER line as I am working on a comprehensive genealogy of the family in Snyder County. However, I do not have Peter and Susan listed anywhere in my database except as burials in Evergreen Cemetery, Freeburg, as you already indicated. I can give you a lead. Since both Peter and Susan died after 1905 when central death registration in Pennsylvania commenced, you may be able to get some clues by sending to New Castle for a copy of their death certificate at $3 each. The certificate has indicated on it empty boxes for place and date of birth, parentage, date and place and cause of death, undertaker, and date and place of burial and name of spouse and whether or not he/she survived the person. The quality of the birth and parentage information on the death certificate varies as it is based on the veracity of the one providing the information for the certificate (the informant, usually a spouse or a child). Birth and parentage information on a death certificate is usually far removed from that event and therefore qualifies as secondary source material, but it is still very helpful for clues to further research. If you choose this route, let me know what information you get so I can update and add to my database.