This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/lEC.2ACE/464.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Mark, notice that the SSDI information I sent for GORDON SMITH (SSN 572-42-4582 issued in CA before 1951) gives his residence at death as Platteville. Perhaps you could contact the SW Wisconsin Room at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville (swwis@uwplatt.edu) and request that they look up an obituary for a Gordon Smith who died in February 1986. (Their fees are very reasonable.) An obit probably would indicate parents names and branch of military service, if any. If Gordon and Ada lived together at the time your father was born, perhaps they were listed in a telephone or city directory from 1942; you might request this lookup as well from UW-Platteville. Your original post indicated that your grandfather died in California: 1. California death records show only one Gordon Smith born in Wisconsin and died in California; his middle initial was "A" and he was born in 1899, so doesn't fit into the profile. 2. California death records show three Gordon L. Smiths; the birth dates are 1896 (born NE), 1927 (born OK) and 1952 (born California), so these don't seem to fit, either. 3. California death records show well over 100 Gordon Smiths. Below are those with no middle initial whose birth year roughly fits into the profile you've established. (The first place listed is place of birth, and the second is place of death. The first date listed is date of birth, the second is date of death). SMITH GORDON 05/14/1918 MCGOWAN M CANADA ORANGE 02/15/1996 370-28-7675 77 yrs SMITH GORDON 05/20/1917 GORDON M KANSAS SISKIYOU 09/26/1986 512-16-8986 69 yrs Back to Platteville, below are the Smith households appearing in the 1920 census for Platteville, Grant Co., WI. One of the heads of household is LOUIS; I'd be inclined to look closely at this family simply because your grandfather's middle name is the same. (See more about this family following the list of Platteville Smiths.) Smith, Pantha Age: 47 Birthplace: Deutschland Roll: T625_1988, Image: 334 ED: 119 , Page: 17A Smith, William J Age: 50 Birthplace: Wisconsin Roll: T625_1988 , Image: 343 ED: 119 , Page: 21B Smith, Earl I Age: 35 Birthplace: Iowa Roll: T625_1988 , Image: 367 ED: 120 , Page: 6B Smith, Louis Age: 33 Birthplace: Wisconsin Roll: T625_1988 , Image: 362 ED: 120 , Page: 4A Smith, Mory Age: 69 Birthplace: Wisconsin Roll: T625_1988 , Image: 380 Race: White ED: 120 , Page: 13A Smith, William H Age: 42 Birthplace: Iowa Roll: T625_1988 , Image: 379 ED: 120 , Page: 12B Looking at the Louis Smith household census image online, it's not clear whether the first name is spelled LEWIS or LOUIS, but here's the info: Smith, Louis/Lewis, age 33, born WI, father born IL, mother born NY, occupation clerk. Nora, wife, age 34, born WI, parents born WI No children are listed for this family in 1920. Louis and Nora live next door to another Smith couple, Willard and Hattie?, whose ages and birth places suggest that may be Louis's parents.