The Post-Gazette charges $120 per hour, $40 minimum, to conduct a search of their clippings! However, their librarian suggested doing an online search in Google News Archives.
I believe the Carnegie librarian searched these archives per my earlier query, but I was hoping that, with more a more accurate death date, I might find at least one obituary on my grandfather. Given the dramatic circumstances of his death, I would have thought it would be fairly easy to find one story.
But, nothing.
I'm not sure where to go next.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Death Certificate
Today I put together a request for Grandpa Walt's death certificate. I don't have enough information to fill out all the lines on the form, but hopefully it's enough. I'm also keeping my fingers crossed that there's no huge backlog at the Division of Vital Records.
I also queried the librarian at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette for any articles on Grandpa Walt's murder. The Gazette searches its clipping files for a fee. May be worth the fee if they come up with some articles, especially as I've heard two different versions of my grandfather's death.
I also queried the librarian at the Pittsburgh Post Gazette for any articles on Grandpa Walt's murder. The Gazette searches its clipping files for a fee. May be worth the fee if they come up with some articles, especially as I've heard two different versions of my grandfather's death.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
A Conversation with my Uncle
I finally picked up the phone and called my Uncle Donald, my father's older brother, to ask him what he remembered about their father.
After my grandparents separated, Donald lived with Walt for about three months. They lived in a furnished room and ate meals at a local drug store. Walt spent evenings drinking at a local veteran's hall. He earned his living through a series of jobs, including driving a Hires root beer truck.
After three months, Donald was sent to live in a foster home. I later learned from my mother that all three Lewis children went to foster homes. This is something my father has never talked about.
As for the motorcycle trip to California, Uncle Donald says it happened during the Great Depression, and my grandparents were looking for better job opportunities. They would stop to work in various towns along the way. My grandfather also worked for the Works Progress Administration. Sometimes people would give them money for baby Donald, but sometimes not.
Unfortunately, opportunities were no better in California, so the family returned home. My uncle believes this trip and difficulties finding work contributed to the breakup of the marriage.
My uncle also says my grandfather was strangled to death in a telephone booth. At one point, the police contacted my grandmother to tell her they had a suspect and to ask to the exhume the body.
My grandmother refused permission.
After my grandparents separated, Donald lived with Walt for about three months. They lived in a furnished room and ate meals at a local drug store. Walt spent evenings drinking at a local veteran's hall. He earned his living through a series of jobs, including driving a Hires root beer truck.
After three months, Donald was sent to live in a foster home. I later learned from my mother that all three Lewis children went to foster homes. This is something my father has never talked about.
As for the motorcycle trip to California, Uncle Donald says it happened during the Great Depression, and my grandparents were looking for better job opportunities. They would stop to work in various towns along the way. My grandfather also worked for the Works Progress Administration. Sometimes people would give them money for baby Donald, but sometimes not.
Unfortunately, opportunities were no better in California, so the family returned home. My uncle believes this trip and difficulties finding work contributed to the breakup of the marriage.
My uncle also says my grandfather was strangled to death in a telephone booth. At one point, the police contacted my grandmother to tell her they had a suspect and to ask to the exhume the body.
My grandmother refused permission.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Genealogy Programs at the National Archives
This morning I went to an introduction to genealogy records at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. The research area appears very inviting, especially following the usual security procedures required to enter a federal government building. The lecture was free, as are many other lectures and other history talks at the Archives. There's even a shuttle bus from the Washington building to their other facility in College Park, Maryland.
Unfortunately, I also learned that very little is available concerning military enlistment records from World War II. To find out if there are any records on my grandfather, I will have to submit a Freedom of Information Act request, and many of these records have been destroyed.
Here's a link to programs available at the National Archives:
http://http://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/know-your-records/
Unfortunately, I also learned that very little is available concerning military enlistment records from World War II. To find out if there are any records on my grandfather, I will have to submit a Freedom of Information Act request, and many of these records have been destroyed.
Here's a link to programs available at the National Archives:
http://http://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/know-your-records/
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