Author Topic: Michael W. Costigan  (Read 3569 times)

Offline Tees

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Michael W. Costigan
« on: Saturday 03 July 10 00:36 BST (UK) »
Dear Rootschatters,

This afternoon I was on phone with the Vital Records Division in Virginia to confirm whether they had received the letter and cheque from my aunt.

The lady rattled off how many requests they had received, etc...without giving me an opportunity to explain the situation. I was speaking to the same person I spoke to two months ago.

She replied that she had received my aunt's letter & form along with the check. She proceeded to say that they cannot search for my aunt's father without knowing where he died or which hospital he died in.

I was shocked because she herself told me to put down on the form and in the letter asking for State-Wide and explain the situation as to why there is no information.

I asked to speak with her supervisor or boss. And the supervisor rattled off same things to me. After explaining a bit to her, she is willing to try again and gets someone who is very, very good with searches in her division--a Mr. Expert. Interestingly, she said she looked at the computer and it seems there is no record on Michael W. Costigan with an exact death date.  ??? I appealed to her to help us out. She simply said she would try her best.

It is appalled that the public servants like to work minimally for their paychecks and do not want to work any harder than necessary. I still do not understand why the lady told me what to do then did the opposite when receiving my auntie's letter, form and check. It seems the lady at the division completely disregarded the letter and the printout of the Social Security Death Index.

Now I am at the wit's end as how to help my auntie to find her father's death record. We only know that her father, Michael W. Costigan, was born in Brooklyn and died somewhere in VA according to the Social Security Death Index.

We were unable to obtain his birth record without a proof of his death record. Social Security Administration won't help my aunt by providing her the information as to where he passed away. We could not ask the Veterans Administration because he was inhonorably discharged (for what reasons we do not know).

We do have his birth date on one of the court documents that my aunt has inherited from her Mother. Her parents were separated for many, many years before they finalized their divorce. In the reality, they were truly divorced even if it was not legalized.

My aunt has very, very little information on her Father. All of the information she has on him are based on the documents such as the court papers, marriage certificate and her birth certificate.

Is there any Rootschatter here who has similar experience to this problem? Or anyone who has a better expertise than I as to how to get around the problem?

I sincerely welcome any assistance and it will be most gratefully received. I just want to bring a closure to my Aunt's painful chapter with her Father.

She has been searching for her Father for past 25 years to no avail after her Mother passed away.

Sincerely yours,

Tees and his Auntie

Offline Tees

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Re: Michael W. Costigan
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 03 July 10 00:48 BST (UK) »
Dear Rootschatters,

Here's the information on Michael W. Costigan as stated on Social Security Death Index:

 Born in Brooklyn to the parents: William Costigan and Josephine Wallace on 17 Nov 1914. We know his parents from the censuses and his marriage certificate.

 Died in Virginia (VA) ? on 18 Oct 1973.

 Last known address was in Brooklyn, NY.

 He did served in the US Army during the Second World War in England.

 Not much information, I am sorry but that is what we know about him. I found the censuses on his family and other various records on his family as well for my aunt.

 The sad thing is that his father and baby sibling died in the flu epidemic in 1918 which left his mother to rear him and his siblings on her own.

 His middle name is Wallace--after his mother's maiden surname.

 Hope this help you a bit to help us out. We are wondering if it is worthwhile to request a paid help from this man who do his living in finding people as shown on the telly called the Locator.

 Kind regards,

 Tees
 

Offline avm228

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Re: Michael W. Costigan
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 03 July 10 00:52 BST (UK) »
[removed]
Ayr: Barnes, Wylie
Caithness: MacGregor
Essex: Eldred (Pebmarsh)
Gloucs: Timbrell (Winchcomb)
Hants: Stares (Wickham)
Lincs: Maw, Jackson (Epworth, Belton)
London: Pierce
Suffolk: Markham (Framlingham)
Surrey: Gosling (Richmond)
Wilts: Matthews, Tarrant (Calne, Preshute)
Worcs: Milward (Redditch)
Yorks: Beaumont, Crook, Moore, Styring (Huddersfield); Middleton (Church Fenton); Exley, Gelder (High Hoyland); Barnes, Birchinall (Sheffield); Kenyon, Wood (Cumberworth/Denby Dale)

Offline Tees

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Re: Michael W. Costigan
« Reply #3 on: Saturday 03 July 10 01:04 BST (UK) »
Hello,

Thank you very much for your quick reply! Now it is indeed a brickwall.

I got the conflicting information from the SSA and the VA.

VA did tell us that they did inform the SSA of his death but they do not have the file on him where we could find out where he died in. We still have not gotten any reply from the VA for two years now.  ???

SSA thinks otherwise and they insisted that it is the state of Virginia.  ???

We did apply to the NYC Dept of Health three times and they still confirmed that they do not have any record on him.   ??? $15 each time.

How do we go forward and break the brickwall with so little information?

This is one of the most frustrating experiences I have with my Aunt's family. I personally have two big brickwalls that have not broken in my family tree.

But hers should not be that difficult as it is in very relatively recent times.

Awaiting your further input.

Kind regards,

Tees



Offline Tees

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Re: Michael W. Costigan
« Reply #4 on: Saturday 03 July 10 01:08 BST (UK) »
Hi again,

How do you tell apart from the State of VA from the Veterans Administration on the SSDI?

Please kindly advise.

As to ordering the copy of his SS application, it won't help us as we already have the information such as his birth date, the names of his parents, etc. It also won't tell us where he died. That's the part of the problem.

Thanks,

Tees

Offline avm228

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Re: Michael W. Costigan
« Reply #5 on: Saturday 03 July 10 01:17 BST (UK) »
[removed]
Ayr: Barnes, Wylie
Caithness: MacGregor
Essex: Eldred (Pebmarsh)
Gloucs: Timbrell (Winchcomb)
Hants: Stares (Wickham)
Lincs: Maw, Jackson (Epworth, Belton)
London: Pierce
Suffolk: Markham (Framlingham)
Surrey: Gosling (Richmond)
Wilts: Matthews, Tarrant (Calne, Preshute)
Worcs: Milward (Redditch)
Yorks: Beaumont, Crook, Moore, Styring (Huddersfield); Middleton (Church Fenton); Exley, Gelder (High Hoyland); Barnes, Birchinall (Sheffield); Kenyon, Wood (Cumberworth/Denby Dale)

Offline Tees

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Re: Michael W. Costigan
« Reply #6 on: Saturday 03 July 10 01:24 BST (UK) »
VA never means Virginia in this context.

OK.

The place of death is simply not indicated on the SSDI, and the Social Security Department may well not have any record of the place or circumstances of his death.

Oh, really? It seems that both of us are looking at the different SSDI. I think you are not based in the USA as you called the Social Security Department whereas we called it the Social Security Administration. The SSDI do show either the last known residence or place of death.

You've drawn a blank with the Veterans Administration, so I suggest New York is your next port of call.

Apparently, you do not see my post above where I said that we have applied to the NYC Dept of Health  THREE times to no avail.

Thank you very much for your efforts to help us out.

Offline shellyesq

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Re: Michael W. Costigan
« Reply #7 on: Saturday 03 July 10 01:28 BST (UK) »
If you've only tried New York City, you might want to check New York state.  You could request a look-up in the death index as described in this blog post - http://ny-genes.blogspot.com/2008/03/new-york-state-vital-records-microfiche.html  I'm not sure if they have that time frame, but it's worth a shot. 

Offline Tees

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Re: Michael W. Costigan
« Reply #8 on: Saturday 03 July 10 01:35 BST (UK) »
Hello Shellyesq!

Unfortunately, the look-ups limited to certain years--I forgot--that means 1973 is too recent for them.

That's the trouble as we cannot throw $$ without knowing where he died. He could died in NJ or in LI or Upstate NY.

That's the trouble.

My Aunt is hestiating to throw her money away after our few attempts. NYC Dept of Health does keep money if there is no record found.

I will talk to her about trying the NYS Vital Records Dept again.

Again, we do not have enough information to go on--they would need to know WHERE he died.

That's the trouble especially if it is from the recent years.

Kind regards,

Tees