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I'm looking for more genealogy information about my great-grandmother. Her name was Minnie Kawaleski, but it's VERY likely her name could be mispelled. Her Social Security death index lists her by her married name, Minnie McFarlane.

She was born 24 Sep 1892 in Germany, but I can't find a single record about her arriving in the United States on ellisisland.org. She arrived before 1922. She married Otto Alexander McFarlane (around 1920?)

She died Jan of 1967, and her S.S. number was 549-28-1483

With all these details, why can't I find more ancestry information? She had a brother, Karl and a sister, Marie. Who were her parents? Where in Germany did she come from? I have exhausted my search on Ancestry.com

Wow, so much to add - heh. Yes, I have her Obit (only says she's "from Germany", though I agree the name sounds more Polish - perhaps her father was Polish). I have names (and Socials) for ALL her children and grandchildren, and her sister. She was single when she traveled from Germany with her brother, but I've found even less on him. According to my mother, he returned to Germany.

Could she have entered anywhere else BESIDES Ellis Island?

Answer 1

From your comment, it seems that you have not obtained much in the way of original documentation.
Some suggestions are-
send for her social security file, which will contain information that she submitted herself at the time she applied.
Her death certificate should include parents names (same applies to death certs for either of her siblings)
Do you have an obit for her? That may include details, most importantly, I would be pursuing Karl's records. Being male, it would be very interesting to find what spelling he used. In addition to direct records, did either of these siblings have children or grandchildren that you have worked with? Sometimes family records/info are "saved" more within one line than the other.
Specific date of marriage could be of help. The critical point in this item would be to determine if she was already married at the time of the 1920 census OR was she living with someone else? Did the parents immigrate as well?
Don't quote me on this... but I think her marriage to Otto would have served (then) to automatically grant her citizenship, as a wife. I do NOT think that would be true for her brother. It may take some digging to determine if he was a naturalized citizen.. if he was, that is one file I would surely make an effort to locate.
It is important to think beyond Ancestry, and even think beyond what may or may not be on the internet. My personal favorite website is still www.cyndislist.com, since it illustrates how many resources are out there.

Answer 2

Contact the State Congressman, who has an office, where
the information about the Embassy's are in Germany, and
then write to the Embassy, and they can give you information
about the past and the current people by that name...
because she probably still has family living there.
McFarlane can be spelled McFarland, McFairlen, McFarlyne,
or any other way too.
The Social Security Office should have been able to give
you more information.
You might want to check some military records for WWI
about Mr. McFarlane, too.
At any location, which is mentioned on any of your information
you can submit some Letters to the Editors of Newspapers
in the areas where those locations are, and someone
can be in touch with you.
Also contact a Historical Society in that area.
Social Security Office can provide a printout if she worked
anywhere, and some old addresses too.
A lot of German people live in the Pennsylvania, and
Michigan, and the Colder Climate States.
Dutch People live in the Northwest part of Washington
State.
If I can help further, contact me thru the title Too Funny
for I permit email.

Answer 3

The name sounds Polish. Anyway, not every one came through Ellis Island. Have you tried the Censuses? They take them every 10 years...Have you tried googling the name? It seems strange that her name is in the SSDI, but you can find no other info.
Have you tried courthouse records for where she might have lived?
How about genealogy societies for where she might have lived?
Ant other geneaolgy sites...

Answer 4

all i could find is where she died this link is for someone to look up the obituary if you live in that area go to the library and they may have it on micro film ask all of the older folks in your family for any info good luck it can be a long and tiring process
http://www.cagenweb.com/yolo/yolobitn.htm