Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Martin on August 3, 2013 at 5:03

Check obituaries in local and regional newspapers. Tedious but may be worth a try.

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Permalink Reply by adubu on August 4, 2013 at 9:13

if you know that person was your relative and deceased in 1940 you should be able to find first degree heirs of yours that was have knowledge of death and where they are buried. That county should have records for you can not bury a body without recording event I would not think

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Permalink Reply by Two Dogs, Pirate on August 4, 2013 at 13:06

"The only record that is available are 2 census records". How do you know this? Have you searched all records with the clerk of court in the parish/county where this person lived? Is this person male or female? Last names change for females. I use genealogy a lot but most of the time you have to pay to get the good stuff.

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Permalink Reply by Ken Boone on August 4, 2013 at 18:17

There are some court house records too, but we can't find a death certificate for her name.

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Permalink Reply by jffree1 on August 4, 2013 at 19:14

Did you search adjacent county/parish records? If she died in a hospital in a different county then that is where the DC would be. Also, look for children or other relatives who lived in a different county/parish. She could have been living with someone in another county or state, even, when she passed.

Did you check the marriage records to be sure she didn't remarry and change her name? And, did you search every wacky spelling variation of her name that you can think of? If you can think of a variation... I promise there has been a clerk somewhere who has recorded it that way.

Just don't give up. There is a death certificate somewhere.

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Permalink Reply by adubu on August 5, 2013 at 0:56

Ken--- if you are trying to find descended relative for minerals ownership then best way is to start in county records of present owner of land surface and then run title by checking deeds looking for mineral reservations back to dates before relative die on change of ownership if ownership changed. Check for Wills filed for Heirs. This is basically how Landsman runs Title. Are you in La or TX?

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Permalink Reply by Ken Boone on August 5, 2013 at 4:27

This is for Louisiana. Someone said that in order to prove heirship status there has to be a record which connects the deceased to the heirs. We have run a check on the other counties and nearby states as well. We will look for other relatives to see if she lived with them. Thanks

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Permalink Reply by adubu on August 5, 2013 at 6:10

Ken--- Since you are in La. does family member still own the land or is there production of mineral that has a lease HBP? I believe that in La. if no production that all minerals reverse to present surface land owner after 10 years. So if no family member owns land and no prior lease of family member HBP then if relative as you stated died in 1940s you are out of luck with no claim. I think this is correct. Anyone from La. please comment for I am a Texas guy. If production HBP then contract the operator for information of royalty owner of these minerals.I assume since you are on this site your question to locate family member has to do with Minerals?

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Permalink Reply by barneyfife on August 5, 2013 at 4:43

Start with what you know. Do you know where the realtive died? Do you have a Bible or access to a family bible? Do you know where he or she went to church? If you can locate an obituary that would give you some help. Check the clerk of court for any instruments that bought or sold anything. Chances of finding someone that you knew the realtive or has good memory are pretty small unless it is a younger person who mighht remenber them. If the census indicates other family members, see if you can run them in records also.

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Permalink Reply by Andrew on October 1, 2013 at 15:49

In many cases, the US Social Security Death Index will have a basic entry of the date and place of death (although Social Security was so new in the 1940s that the death index may not have been around yet). For deaths that occurred in Louisiana between 1911 and 1962, the Office of Historical Records will have a copy of the death certificate. You can access these records at the Louisiana Secretary of State's website, SOS.LA.GOV.

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Permalink Reply by 1kw6x71km1v37 on October 2, 2013 at 3:42

<a record which connects the deceased to the heirs>>>

That would be the succession document, also known as probate in other states. You might also look for something called an Affidavit of Death and Heirship. If no one has title, proceeds of production must be forwarded to the District Clerk for escrow, after which in so many years they become property of the the state or local government, I forget which.

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Permalink Reply by adubu on October 2, 2013 at 3:59

In Texas proceeds after number of years go to the State, but still can be claimed with supportive documentation proof of ownership through "Unclaimed Property of Texas" I donot know if La. has similar State Department. In Texas list of such is online.

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