This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Roper, Goodwin Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/kgDBAEB/759.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Amy: With the additional information you furnished, we can readily see that Sarah Belle Roper GOODWIN is the individual shown inthe Social Security Death Index ("SSDI") as "Belle GOODWIN" with SSN 431-82-1777. The SSDI shows that this SSN was issued in Arkansas and gives her date of birth as 06 Apr 1901 and date of death of 16 Apr 1991, as you indicated in your most recent Post. THe SSDI also shows Belle GOODWIN's last residence as Eudora, Chicot County, AR, with Zip Code 71640. Bear in mind that you may order a copy of Belle GOODWIN's Form SS-5 from the Social Security Admiistration, which will give the NAMES of her parents as SHE furnished them at the time of her original application for a Social Security Number. There are a number of online resources to assist you in making such a request. I do NOT find a corresponding SSDI record for Willie GOODWIN, though the reord for a William GOODWIN (b16 Sep 1892, d May 1977 - Mobile, AL), with SSN 419-03-3540, is very close in some of the genealogical details. The SSDI is NOT complete for deaths in the 1970s, so the omission is unsurprising. (When the electronic SSDI was first compiled the emphasis was on making records of persons who died while collecting benefits, and Social Security coverage was FAR from universal in the early days.) In 1930, Willie and Belle GOODWIN were enumerated in Wilmot Township, Ashley County, Arkansas. Her brother John and Mother are shown heading households enumerated in the immediately ADJACENT Census records: United States Census -- 1930 Wilmot Township Ashley County, AR (Enumeration District 1-26), Sheet No. 13B 23 Apr 1930 Line 60, Dwelling 215, Family 241, GOODWIN, Willie, Head, Male, White, Age 38, Married at Age 25, Born AR, Father Born AR, Mother Born AR, Farmer, General Farming Line 61, Dwelling 215, Family 241, GOODWIN, Belle, Wife, Female, White, Age 24, Married at Age 16, Born AR, Father Born MS, Mother Born MS Line 62, Dwelling 215, Family 241, GOODWIN, Noble, Son, Male, White, Age 12, Single, Born AR, Father Born AR, Mother Born AR Line 63, Dwelling 215, Family 241, GOODWIN, Linnie S., Daughter, Female, White, Age 7?, Single, Born AR, Father Born AR, Mother Born AR Line 64, Dwelling 215, Family 241, GOODWIN, Porter W., Son, Male, White, Age 6?, Single, Born AR, Father Born AR, Mother Born AR Line 65, Dwelling 215, Family 241, GOODWIN, Vera, Son, Daughter, White, Age 3, Single, Born AR, Father Born AR, Mother Born AR * Line 66, Dwelling 216, Family 242, ROPER, John, Head, Male, White, Age 23, Married at Age 16, Born AR, Father Born AR, Mother Born MS, Farmer, General Farming Line 67, Dwelling 216, Family 242, ROPER, Cara, Wife, Female, White, Age 20, Married at Age 14, Born LA, Father Born LA, Mother Born LA Line 68, Dwelling 216, Family 242, ROPER, William, Son, Male, White, Age 6, Single, Born AR, Father Born AR, Mother Born LA Line 69, Dwelling 216, Family 242, ROPER, Felton, Son, Male, White, Age 1, Born AR, Father Born AR, Mother Born LA * Line 70, Dwelling 216, Family 242, ROPER, Mary F.?, Head, Female, White, Age 52, Widow, Married at Age 24 [abt 1902], Born MS, Father Born MS, Mother Born MS, Farmer, General Farming Line 71, Dwelling 216, Family 242, ROPER, Modie, Son, Male, White, Age 17, Single, Born AR, Father Born MS, Mother Born MS, Farmer Line 72, Dwelling 216, Family 242, ROPER, Jewel, Daughter, Female, White, Age 13?, Single, Born AR, Father Born MS, Mother Born MS Line 73, Dwelling 216, Family 242, ROPER, Mike, Son, Male, White, Age 11, Single, Born AR, Father Born MS, Mother Born MS [Image 26 of 37 at the Ancestry.com presentation of the 1930 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * You will note that the three children shown in Mary's household are shown to have been born in ARKANSAS to parents BOTH BORN IN MISSISSIPPI. John ROPER, age 23, enumerated in an adjacent record seems to THINK that his father was born in ARKANSAS, but Belle GOODWIN, age 24, believes that BOTH her parents were born in MISSISSIPPI. Also, you will note that the 1930 Census record represents that Mary ROPER, age 52, first married at age 24, about 28 years earlier (abt 1902). If you do not have access to this Census record, please let me know and I will e-mail you a copy! * * * Checking the 1920 Census, we find the household of John W. ROPER, residing in Wilmot Township, Ashley County, AR: United States Census -- 1920 Wilmot Township, Ashley County, AR 12 Feb 1920 Line 45, Dwelling 679, Family 695, ROPER, John W., Head, Male, White, Age 55, Married, Born AR, Father Born AR, Mother Born LA, Farmer, General Farming Line 46, Dwelling 679, Family 695, ROPER, Mary I. F. or T., Wife, Female, White, Age 44, Married, Born MS, Father Born AR, Mother Born MS Line 47, Dwelling 679, Family 695, ROPER, John W. Jr., Son, Male, White, Age 13, Single, Born AR, Father Born AR, Mother Born MS Line 48, Dwelling 679, Family 695, ROPER, Mary, Daughter, Female, White, Age 11, Single, Born AR, Father Born AR, Mother Born MS Line 49, Dwelling 679, Family 695, ROPER, James M. or H., Son, Male, White, Age 9, Single, Born AR, Father Born AR, Mother Born MS Line 50, Dwelling 679, Family 695, ROPER, Mode F., Son, Male, White, Age 6, Single, Born AR, Father Born AR, Mother Born MS * [next page] Line 1, Dwelling 679, Family 695, ROPER, Allie J., Daughter, Female, White, Age 3 2/12, Single, Born AR, Father Born AR, Mother Born MS Line 2, Dwelling 679, Family 695, ROPER, Mike G., Son, Male, White, Age 1 1/12, Single, Born AR, Father Born AR, Mother Born MS [Images 64, 65 of 67 at the Ancestry.com presentation of 1920 Census data for this jurisdiction.] * * * Mode ROPER would appear to be Modie Franklin ROPER (b 12 Oct 1912 - AR, d 09 Sep 1966 - Wilmot, Ashley County, AR) according to the ROPER family history files of Dr. L. David ROPER. I am going to go out on a limb here and SPECULATE that this is probably the Mike G. ROPER shown in the SSDI with SSN 500-14-0058 with DOB 08 Sep 1918 and DOD 14 Oct 1997 - Mobile, AL. Bear in mind that this is a SPECUALTIVE ascription, but seems to well conform based upon dates and geography. (The 1920 Census record also DOES appear to me to say Mike "G.", but the "G" is a little ambiguous! To this I would add that the appearance of Mike G. ROPER in Mobile might cause us to re-evaluate whether the William GOODWIN who is shown in the SSDI to have died with last residence in Mobile might have been your Willie GOODWIN. * * * This has pushed the lineage back one generation and given you some fairly robust data to gain new traction in your investigation. I will take another look at the data after lunch.