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Tracing relative in USA

  • 22-02-2018 2:06am
    #1
    Pleased to Meet You
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭


    Hello all.

    I'm new here.
    I am probably looking at a needle in a haystack but I am looking for pointers at how to trace my dad's brother who went to the USA in the 60s and over time lost touch with his family.
    All I have is his Irish birth certificate and I know that he was incarcerated in New York some time after going there for minor crimes and was released but unfortunately I have no last address or the prison he was in.
    My dad has since passed and had very vague information and there is no other living relative bar myself and my siblings but since we were born in the 80s we never met our uncle.
    I tried putting his name and DOB into a Google search but yielded nothing and he has quite a common name on Facebook search.
    Any advice would be welcome!
    Thanks for reading!


Comments

  • #2
    pinkypinky
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,671 Mod ✭✭✭✭pinkypinky


    Welcome!

    Do you think your uncle is likely to be still alive?
    It is unfortunately against our charter to discuss finding living people, as they may not wish to be found.

    However, I will make some general suggestions.

    Have a read of this thread by our resident US genealogy expert.

    Ancestry.com & newspapers are going to be the 2 most useful genealogical resources. If you think he's likely to be alive still, I throw Facebook into the mix.

    Genealogy Forum Mod



  • #3
    KildareFan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 683 ✭✭✭KildareFan


    If he went to the US over 50 years ago he may not be alive. If you have a subscription to Ancestry.com you can search the following records:

    The US Social Security Death Index is a good place to start as it contains details on all deceased residents in the US who had social security numbers between 1935-2014.

    More information may be available on the U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 - this sometimes records date of birth and parents

    If he served in the military you can search U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010

    You may be able to find him by searching U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995


  • #4
    Coolnabacky1873
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 556 ✭✭✭Coolnabacky1873


    Solid advice from above. First question when NY is mentioned is do you mean the city or somewhere in the state?

    This database has all who were incarcerated in NY state prisons since the early 1970s. However, he may have been in a county or federal jail. This federal database begins in 1982.

    There are lots of websites, both free and for payment, that focus on selling/providing information for those in the U.S. from the last 20-30 years. I'm not going to list any here but a concentrated Google search will provide you with examples.

    You can also try NYC marriage indexes from 1950-1995.

    If you think he may have bought a house/property in NYC, then there is also a deeds database dating from the 60s.

    Let us know if you find anything. Curious to see if such research can be fruitful when you are starting with a small amount of information.


  • #5
    pedroeibar1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,108 ✭✭✭pedroeibar1


    When living in NYC even driving past Rikers Island used to give me the shudders! Several correctional facilities have opened/closed since the 1960's so on-line records might have 'holes'. I would not underestimate the value of newspaper research - if the crimes warranted a custodial sentence it is probable that the local dailies would cover his 'nefarious deeds'!

    (Great to see you posting again Coolnabacky)


  • #6
    KildareFan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 683 ✭✭✭KildareFan


    Newspapers from New York and other states can be searched here http://fultonhistory.com/Fulton.html


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  • #7
    Hermy
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 11,421 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hermy


    NYS Historic Newspapers is another great website for New York newspapers.

    Genealogy Forum Mod



  • #8
    Pleased to Meet You
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭Pleased to Meet You


    Thanks x
    I will sit down with these suggestions, I would never have known about these sites.
    I'll come back at a later stage when I have exhausted these avenues.


  • #9
    Pleased to Meet You
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭Pleased to Meet You


    Coolnabacky1873 wrote: »
    Solid advice from above. First question when NY is mentioned is do you mean the city or somewhere in the state?

    has all who were incarcerated in NY state prisons since the early 1970s. However, he may have been in a county or federal jail. database begins in 1982.

    Do you know of anything starting in the 60s, which I think might be relevant here?


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