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Shannon Mason. I have his headstone shot -- on findagrave. Was told he was listed on the honor wall the small town built. Was listed in the Service Record book no one can find at our house
Shannon Mason. I have his headstone shot -- on findagrave. Was told he was listed on the honor wall the small town built. Was listed in the Service Record book no one can find at our house
But I can't find when he died for sure and how.
Well, I think I've exhausted Ancestry.com and haven't found much either. I find an Shannon Oscar Mason, born 1895, died feb 1 1918, and someone started a Family History project with his name recorded called the Metz-Merrill Family Tree, Londonberry, Bedford, PA.
I tried some military sites with no succees.
Probably you need to go to the basics and start with the Health Dept of where he died, either County or State and get an un-certified death certificate for genealogy purposes. Should cost no more that $10.00.
Have you checked with the County and State Genealogy or Historical Societies. Also try NARA for the military records.
Every site says need more information that I checked.
Well, I think I've exhausted Ancestry.com and haven't found much either. I find an Shannon Oscar Mason, born 1895, died feb 1 1918, and someone started a Family History project with his name recorded called the Metz-Merrill Family Tree, Londonberry, Bedford, PA.
I tried some military sites with no succees.
Probably you need to go to the basics and start with the Health Dept of where he died, either County or State and get an un-certified death certificate for genealogy purposes. Should cost no more that $10.00.
Have you checked with the County and State Genealogy or Historical Societies. Also try NARA for the military records.
Every site says need more information that I checked.
Yep -- I've found all that.... and that might be the tree that has him married, but that's wrong. Someone has him married to Sara Kennell, but she was married to a cousin of Shannon's named Oscar Mason. My great great grandfather's brother's son.
AND Sara is my aunt.... she was my great grandmother's sister -- add to that her mother (my great great grandmother) on her second marriage married the brother of my great great grandmother from my great grandfather's side. There's enough ties around these people that I sort of feel like I'm my own grandma!
Well -- VA said -- there's no reason for us to have those records. You need to call the National Archives....
You mean the ones who told me to contact you?
I'm really starting to have the feeling that this might be my white whale.
I got excited to see that NC Death certs were online at ancestry.... but apparently since he was military that's different, because he's not there either....
Someone must have given you some BS at the VA. I'd pursue it again with the National Archives. Most of the people working there are volunteers and many just don't know or care about looking up things or answering questions. I've run into that several times. I think I ran into that 7 or 8 times before getting the results I wanted. It took several tries to get my grandfathers WW-I records, but I got them.
The records you're looking for have to be somewhere, it just takes some luck and someone willing to help you out at those places you inquire.
I've even got all my own military records recently from NARA. From enlistment to background checks, overseas duties to final discharge. Took several tries over a period of 3 years, but one day a whole large package came in the mail.
One place you may want to check with is the Catholic Church. They have tons of records in their archives and may be able to help you.
Got a call this morning from a nice woman at the record place..... which started out fine.... but ended up with the fated words -- Well in 1973 we had this fire.....
I swear I'm making the t-shirt....
The Genealogist's Lament
I'm sorry those records were destroyed by:
Fire
Flood
Russians
But she did tell me to try the VA.... they might have sent them to them since he was killed in action.
Unfortunately for us, in this case, it happens to be true. The federal National Personnel Records Center, which was in St. Louis, burned in 1973. And the records that were held there, were lost. Those are the personnel files. The thing with the VA is, if your soldier had cause to visit a Veteran's hospital, those records were probably transferred to the hospital, and may still exist. I know of people who have found personnel records that way.
But on the bright side, that doesn't mean that every type of military record pertaining to your soldier was destroyed. You just have to look for alternative ones. You have to figure out which agency might have the records in the federal government, maybe there are state records, or even county records. Do you know that soldiers were supposed to go file their discharge papers in their local county courthouse when they returned home? Not all did, but some did.
Quote Enrico, Do you know that soldiers were supposed to go file their discharge papers in their local county courthouse when they returned home? Not all did, but some did...Quote
This is a good point, though I don't think they started recommending that until WW-II servicemen left the military. When I was discharged they recommended that we file a copy of our DD-214 with our County Recorder, which I did immediately upon arriving home. I imagine many did not, from some I've talked to. It was not required to do.
I know from newspaper accounts Shannon went to Camp Lee in Virginia first. That appears to be the basic training camp. From the piece of computerized names I found on Ancestry, a Shannon Mason died in Mecklenburg County on Feb 1 1918.
I decided to take Nitram's advice and get that death cert. I'm writing to them and sending a check. I could have used that Vital check thing, since I had a date, but it would have been an additional 7 bucks that I'm pretty sure would be gone, even if they don't find anything. And I've been to a number of sites that say they have it, only to go through an onerous registration and then find out OOPS -- they don't.
And the ones I've asked for before, if they didn't have it, or couldn't find it, the check wasn't cashed.
Someone must have given you some BS at the VA. I'd pursue it again with the National Archives. Most of the people working there are volunteers and many just don't know or care about looking up things or answering questions. I've run into that several times. I think I ran into that 7 or 8 times before getting the results I wanted. It took several tries to get my grandfathers WW-I records, but I got them.
The records you're looking for have to be somewhere, it just takes some luck and someone willing to help you out at those places you inquire.
I've even got all my own military records recently from NARA. From enlistment to background checks, overseas duties to final discharge. Took several tries over a period of 3 years, but one day a whole large package came in the mail.
One place you may want to check with is the Catholic Church. They have tons of records in their archives and may be able to help you.
Nitram, did the NARA charge you for failed searches?
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Ggrrrrrr...
