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/yhB.2ACI/252.4.1.1 Message Board Post: there is a good possibility that he never had a social security number-- some people were afraid that the government would be tracking them by getting the number--- while others thought if you didn't pay into it you couldn't get any money for old age too.