Follow on to the Angus Simpson Question?

Question

To answer the query about Angus simpson's death certificate: Here are the details
Residence Address: 2619 N. Troy died 24th October 1966
Aged about 69. Social Security number 336 01 6979
occupation: unknown
Business: Unknown
Married, divorced, widowed: Unknown
Date of Birth: Unknown
Informant of death: Victor B. Miclut (friend)
Cause of death: Acute Coronary Occlusion
Funeral Directors: Joseph Maloney Inc
2950 W. Fullerton
Chicago 47 Illinois Number: 5949

This is all taken from the death certificate so they did not know much about my poor Grandfather. I do however have his date of birth and what I really would love to know is what he did with his life. Did he marry again, what was his main employment? What happened to his brother John Simpson (Known in the family as Jock)
Are there any children. Maybe he was divorced and the family did not want to know him. Perhaps they might like to know that he had 6 Grandchildren and 19 Great Grandchildren in the UK

Answer 1

There's good news and bad news. The good news is that he lived in a part of Chicago that still exists. It's called Logan Square and it's rich in history. The apartment building where your grandfather lived is also still standing. The bad news is that it's not a nice part of town anymore. It was back then, but now it's one of the most dangerous parts of the city. I used to live 2 miles north of there and it's a whole new world down there now.

To that end, the worse news is that the funeral director has been out of business for a few years and no one bought his facility. So the records they held can't be searched. Contrary to what others are telling you, it doesn't mean much that you have his Social Security number because you already have all of the information that the SS-5 would give you.

Here's the straight answer, regardless of what others will try telling you. You need to find a research buddy who lives in Cook County and is willing to go down and search records at the Daley Center and the Chicago Public Library for you. He died less than 72 years ago, so most of the records you need are covered under privacy laws and they're not going to be on the internet. Someone needs to go downtown to the Daley Center and do a search for marriage licenses issued to Angus Simpson with such and such date of birth. They need to go to the Probate Court and search for a will that lists heirs and an executor. They need to contact the local church and see if there are any baptismal or marriage records on him. None of this can be done on the internet.

I've twice given you the web address for the Wilmette Family History Center. I know you want quick answers, but no one on this site is living in Chicago and able to go pull records for you. But the Mormon Family History Center in Wilmette can do that for you. Please take advantage of their down time during their renovations in order to see if someone would go downtown to help you get the records that will answer your questions. I wish you well, but sadly we are not going to be your best resource...and the internet has given up all the secrets it had about him. Now you need the help of the Hall of Records.

Answer 2

It appears Angus came to the USA twice., in 1913 and 1925. From New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957 : Name: Angus Simpson Arrival Date: 17 Jun 1913 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1893 Age: 20 Gender: Male, Single Occupation : Plater Port of Departure: Glasgow, Scotland Ethnicity/Race/Nationality: Scottish (Scotish) Ship Name: Columbia Port of Arrival: New York, New York Nativity: Scotland Birth Location: Scotland Birth Location Other: Alexandria Page Number: 155 1913; Microfilm serial: T715; Microfilm roll: T715_2106; Line: 21 He gave his nearest relative as his grandfather, John Russell, 12 Henrietta Str, (Scotstorm?), Glasgow. He gave his US destination as Newark, NJ. In his 1925 immigration, he's still a Plater, widowed, age 33. He gave his nearest relative as his mother, Mrs Jessie Simpson, 1 Parker St, Glasgow. He was going to Chicago IL. I'm having a hard time finding him in the 1930 US census. And I could not find an obit for him in the Chicago Tribune newspaper archive.

Answer 3

Ancestry.com lists only Social Security information about an "Angus Simpson" with that Social Security number:

Last residence: 60647 Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA
DOB: 8 Jan 1892
DOD: 1966

Did Angus have a middle name? Now, since you have your grandfather's birth and death dates, you can perhaps fit some more pieces into your puzzle. Good luck!

Answer 4

Although there isn't a Victor Miclut listed in Illinois there is a Victor Micklaut who is 96 years old. Could he be the same person? I have his contact information if you'd like to try and call him. Just email me.

Answer 5

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