Nonexistent information in Genealogy --- The Social Security System

 The  United States Social Security Act  was signed into law in August 17, 1935. Social Security was initially to provide retired workers a small income after the age of 65.  Benefits were to be paid to workers based on payroll contributions paid  during their working life. Social security applications and death index can provide not only the social security number the name of  an individual, date of birth and death,race, parents  and last known residence. 

Now a parent can request a social security number for a baby before it leaves the hospital. If you plan to use your child as a deduction on your income tax, the child is required to have a social security number.  All employers are required to use an employee social security number to provide information to the IRS. The social security number is a unique piece of information because once an individual dies the number is not recycled. It is reasonable that a genealogist would look at social security records to find information.  

It would also be reasonable to assume every natural born citizen working in the United States after 1935 had a Social Security number.   If you were to make that assumption, you would be wrong.

Social Security in 1935

When Social Security was initially established it was recommended that benefits would be limited to industrial workers. The following groups were excluded from coverage

1.  Self-employed workers ( which included farmers and domestic workers) 
2. Workers in the Non-Profit Sector
3. Professionals such as doctors, lawyers and ministers
4.  Merchant marine seamen
5. Employees in charitable or educational foundations
6. Causal laborers
7. Persons who are 65 or older
8. Employees for the American Society for the Cruelty to Animals 
9. Members of Congress
10. Employees of federal, state or local government. That includes the President of the United States to postal workers 

Excluded from coverage were 24 % of the Caucasian and 65 % of the African Americans workforce. The professional employees of the NAACP as well as the farmer sharecropper and maid were initially excluded from Social Security.

As a genealogists looking for information we must keep in mind that the Social Security laws of today were not applicable 80 years ago. We maybe looking for nonexistent information  about our ancestors in the Social Security System.

Citation: The Decision to Exclude Agricultural and Domestic Workers from the 1935 Social Security Act

from Social Security Bulletin, Vol. 70 No. 4 (released November 2010)

by Larry DeWitt

----- The Tree Gardener

Nonexistent Information in Genealogy

Introduction

As a family historian and genealogist, I am constantly looking at records which relate to my research families. We are taught in performing our search to gather information and travel from the known to the unknown.   I have used vital records, court documents, census, school records, some government documents and Internet message boards looking for family connections. Living in the era of information technology, the Internet has increased possible sources of information.  With years of effort I have hit many brick walls. I finally realized that I may have used tools available today to find evidence which never existed about people who lived decades ago. The information that we collect today is not the same as years ago. It is possible that I have been looking for information that may have never existed. I plan to launch a series of blogs which I have titled Nonexistent Information. Possibly others have lumps from hitting brick walls and discovered their roots travelled in a different direction.   

----- The Tree Gardner

Calvin Caston Last Will and Testament 2

Lydia Caston petitioned the court on April 11, 1913 to receive the stated benefits in the will of her late husband Calvin Caston.  It is in this document the date of death of Calvin Caston is recorded  as July 19, 1912.  

 Calvin Caston had his insurance policy from the Masonic Benefit Association through the M. W. Stringer Masonic Grand Lodge.  This black Masonic lodge was organized in Vicksburg, Mississippi by Thomas W. Stringer in 1867 and received it's charter in 1873. This was the first black Masonic lodge in the state of Mississippi. I am happy to say that this organization is still in existence in Jackson, Mississippi. I would also like to mention that Thomas W. Stringer was the first black man elected to the Mississippi state legislature and started several other lodges in Louisiana.

Calvin Caston had the Masonic benefit policy more than 30 days and less than a year. Calvin's will was found to be true and admitted to probate.  All debtors and funeral expenses are usually paid and any remaining money is given to the beneficiaries. His heirs were eligible for $300 which equivalent to $7221.20 in 2015.  It is not known how much money Lydia and Silas Caston received after debts were paid.   

-----The Tree Gardener

Calvin Caston Last Will & Testament

A will and testament is a legal document that names a person or persons to manage an estate or personal property after the death of another person the testator. Calvin Caston had a will.

 It was through a search of the website Ancestry.com  that I found the Last Will & Testament of Calvin Caston.  I have searched for several years concerning the date Calvin Caston died. The state of Mississippi did not register deaths until November, 1912. Calvin Caston died July 19,1912. At the time of his death, he was still a resident of Pike County, Mississippi.  His will and testament were recorded on March 29, 1912. Calvin was a member of the Masonic Benefit Association.  As a member of this association, he purchase a policy with a graduated payout with a maximum face value of $700.00 he bequeathed 1/3 to his wife Lydia Caston and 2/3 to his son Silas Caston. Seven hundred dollars in 1912 would have an approximate value of $16,874.00  in 2015. It is clear from this act that he wants to ensure that Lydia would have the financial means to care for herself and the family homestead would be maintained through his son Silas. 

Will of Calvin Caston

Will of Calvin Caston

More information to come.

----- The Tree Gardener

FAN

FAN is a mnemonic in genealogy circles for Friends, Associates and Neighbors.  In my genealogical research,  I try to accumulate information from my ancestor's FAN (Friends, Associates & Neighbors) club. The FAN of ancestors is comparable to the modern social network.   I have many surnames which include my ancestors names, their neighbors, their in laws and my in-laws. I have also found that in  genealogical  research that having the same surname in the same geographic area does necessarily equal a blood relationship.  Some surnames of individuals have no  obvious relationship I have seen repeatedly in my research.  I can not resist saving information of a family that lived in same geographic area and may or may not be  related to an ancestor.       


I have been able to people in connect FAN connections from geographic location using homestead information from the Bureau of land Management. The chart has information posted in a previous blog except for Calvin Caston.

Walkers Bridge Pike County, Mississippi

All of these men possibly knew each other prior to establishing a homestead. Calvin Caston was probably the stepfather of Irvin and Tom Brumfield. Henry Conerly knew Calvin Caston, Robert and Irvin Brumfield.  Possibly Henry Conerly and Joseph Conerly are related. I found Henry and Joseph enumerated in the 1880 census.

Henry Conerly 55 years old and Joseph Conerly 23 years old enumerated  in the  Pike County, Mississippi 1880 Federal Census

Maybe they homestead near each other because they had were friends or previously lived together.  

------The Tree Gardener

UPDATED October 11, 2022