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Author: RBestrom7380
Surnames:
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.nevada.counties....
Message Board Post:
Anna,
Bottom Line First: I did a number of searches for him and those identified as being
connected. It is possible he did not have an obituary. It is also possible he did not
live or die in Las Vegas:
I found your posted family tree, it helps to answer questions about the people you seek.
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/24472376/person/1523819101?ssrc=
I checked the online obituary database for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, with no success.
Also the Las Vegas Sun, no findings. There was an Andrew Sproul, obit published July
2004, age 67. I checked Obits, a multi-newspaper research tool,
Legacy.com the same.
They did not show an obit.
The Clark County Auditor/Recorder: I did a check for any recorded documents in this name.
There was a marriage certificate in the name of William "E" Sproul for 2001;
and a marriage certificate in the name of a William Sproul and a Maria De Los Angeles Coss
in 1991.
The Clark County Assessor: There were a number of persons named Sproul having property.
One was a William "F" and Charolene R.
--This does not mean by itself that your William did not die here. It does mean he did
not own property, or record any documents.
I checked the Clark County Courts case file listings for Sproul. There were Estate cases
(Probate), divorces, etc, but no cases listed for any William Sproul. You
"could" contact the Clark County Probate Court to determine if there was any
actions. The case listing only went through 2009:
http://www.clarkcountycourts.us/ejdc/courts-and-judges/probate/probate.html
The Social Security Death Index:
William Sproul, born 8 March 1931, died 8 Dec 2010, "last residence" Las Vegas,
NV 89108. The "last residence" on the SSDI is NOT necessarily where a person
actually lived. The Social Security Administration calls it simply the "home of
record." It is not necessarily where any benefit was paid to the person, survivor, or
the lumpsum death benefit (in 1972 was paid to anyone paying burial expenses, family
member, funeral home, city/county, attorney). It is sometimes the location where the
notification of death was sent to the SSA, sometimes where the lump sum death benefit was
sent. I have found names and last residence listed for person that NEVER lived in that
area.
--This record shows "William Sproul" obtained Social Security Number
527-26-5951. If there is any doubt this person is the correct person you seek, you could
obtain this persons application for this SSN. It would show the names of his parents. I
would also suggest contact of the Social Security Administration office near you. They
can advise how to obtain his records, specifically where and to whom was sent his lumpsum
death payment ($255.00. Now only sent to living spouses), where notification of death was
sent and who sent it (this could be a funeral home, medical examiner or government
office). Do it quickly, these records are not held long after death.
--Also, you could obtain his application for his SSN, the Form SS-5. It would show the
names of his parents, where he lived and other information, depending on the year of
application and the form used:
http://www.sephardicstudies.org/records.html
Your William Sproul would have been 80 years of age. Within a "People Finder," I
found a William Sproul, age 80, related to Alta R. Tsosie, (Alta Sproul), and Maria C. De
Sproul, had lived in Las Vegas, NV, Gallup, NM, and Fort Wingate, NM. (Fort Wingate is
near Gallup, west of Albuquerque). Alta Tsosie was also associated with Albuquerque.
In the McKinley County Assessor files (for Gallup and Fort Wingate), I find Tsosie family
name listed, but no Alta. No William Sproul.
In the Bernalillo County files (Albuquerque), no Sproul matching criteria.
I do find Alta R. Tsosie identified in the New Mexico Courts system, living in Gallup, DOB
1955. She was last there in 2007 (speeding ticket). There were no cases identified for
William Sproul, such as a probate, etc.
It is possible Alta is a daughter of William. It is possible she still resides in Gallup.
There is an Alta Tsosie on Facebook, but I did not send a message to determine any
relationship.
As far as an obituary, William Sproul may have died in Las Vegas, or the Social Security
Administration was only notified of his death from there. Based on the information, I
would suspect he lived in Fort Wingate, his daughter in Gallup. But this is MY
SPECULATION not based on any fact. He was 80 when he died, a lot of elderly do not have
obits for many reasons, they had moved/lived in an area having few friends or family, so
an obit might be elsewhere. Their health was long term and most did not know him. He
requested no obituary. His family could not afford, or did not see a reason for one.
But, you should keep looking.
I didn't find the Nevada Death Index on line. That would show WHERE he died, not
lived. I HATE to tell people to spend money on genealogy; but, the State of Nevada has
Death Records:
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/nevada.htm This would at least tell you WHERE he died. But,
it also could identify that he didn't die in Nevada. He could have lived in
California, died in CA and the Social Security records showed an old address. His Death
Certificate would also have the name of the person providing personal information about
him, the "informant." That person would be worthy of contact.
Ron Bestrom
Tacoma, WA
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