If at first you don't succeed Google it

I was looking for Ray Martindale, the brother of Roy who was killed in the fire in Garland. I did not find any information in my usual sources.  My wife, Alice, said "Have you tried Google?  I always try Google."  I admit that I did not try Google.  So taking my wife's advice, I did a search for Ray Martindale.  This is what  I found.

"Ray Martindale, age 64, of Bolivar, Missouri passed away at 10:00am, Monday, August 24, 2009 at his home in Bolivar, Missouri.

He was born October 31, 1944 in Burley, Idaho to Earl Martindale and Geneva Coleman Martindale.

Ray worked as a grounds keeper for the State Of Nevada, then worked for Aarons Automotive from 1992-2003.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Jay Martindale, Roy Martindale and a sister, Iris Allen.

Ray is survived by two sisters, Veral Boehm of Texas, Linda Galow of Heyburn, Idaho, sister-in-law, Teresa Martindale of Twin Falls, Idaho, and very good friends, Richard & Dorothy Wales of Bolivar, Missouri.

Per Rays wishes he will be cremated. No services are scheduled at this time. Cremation services are under the care and direction of the Butler Funeral Home in Bolivar, Missouri.

Friends may sign the guest book or send private condolences at www.butlerfuneralhome.com"

This gave me the married name of his sisters, Veral and Linda.

Knowing that he had died I looked in the Social Security Death Index and found him there as well.

SSDI
Ray
Middle Name:    
Last Name:     Martindale
Birth Date:     31 October 1944
Social Security Number:     519-52-2672
Place of Issuance:     Idaho
Last Residence:     Polk, Missouri
Zip Code of Last Residence:     65613
Death Date:     24 August 2009
Estimated Age at Death:     65

Taking heart and knowing that Iris was dead and knowing her last name to be Allen, I looked in the SSDI and found:

First Name:     Iris
Middle Name:     L
Last Name:     Allen
Name Suffix:    
Birth Date:     14 April 1936
Social Security Number:     518-40-1865
Place of Issuance:     Idaho
Last Residence:    
Zip Code of Last Residence:    
Death Date:     29 November 1991
Estimated Age at Death:     55

I thought I might as well try and Google the living sisters.  I found a Veral Boehm on Facebook in Texas.  She is a "biker" not the kind that you peddle, but the Harley-Davidson kind of biker.

I was unable to find Linda in Heyburn, Idaho, but that is a task for another time.

Naturally I entered all this information into my database and New Family Search,

Next time I will not forget to Google.

Family Search Watch

Each week I get an e-mail from Family Search on any activity on the records that I have put a watch on.  I have placed a watch on some of the records that I have been working on. In the past I have found that very helpful, because some patrons combine records that should not be combined or enter changes that may or may not be correct.  I do not know why I feel I need to be the guardian of the records, but I guess that I have a desire that everything should be correct even if I am wrong.

This week I got another e-mail.  Usually it is 4 or 5 changes, but this week there were 53 changes.  The majority were changes by Family Search with minor changes such as correcting names and spellings and places of birth or death.  It was somewhat time consuming to go through all 53 records, but it was worth it because I found the following records that need attention.  I even found two individuals who need ordinance work.  I made a list, so that if my computer crashes I will have the information on a website, or as the present terminology would have it, on the Cloud.( A fancy term for web based backup.)

NFS Cleanup needed.

Abigail Hill Person identifier: LHLM-PJB her many husbands

Sophia Mack Person identifier: LHZX-ZLY where does this information come from?

Ebenezar Mack Person identifier: LZV8-YBJ multiple spouses and duplicate parents.

John Dodds Telford Person identifier: KWJX-YCR two sets of parents.  The one set is incorrect.

Sarah Maria Sayles Person identifier: KWJP-HQJ 7 sets of parents 3 extra spouses.

Find Grave marker for Graham Coltrin Person identifier: KWJP-HCC supposedly buried in the Centerville Cemetery.  His name was on On Find a Grave, but no photo of the headstone. Needs research

William Jasper Kerr Person identifier: KWJP-CSM has three wives, one unknown with a child John Campbell Kerr.  Needs research.

Solomon Gee Jr. Person identifier: LZPP-GVP has two spouses.  Look and see if the spouses need to be combined.

August Bernard LCRZ-8TW and wife Gertrude LCRZ-DSD need temple ordinances done and daughter Alice LCRJ-THR needs to be sealed, but she only died recently.

Sara Gee (Sarah) Person identifier: 2736-R71 has two sets of parents.  Solomon Gee and both his wives.  This needs to be corrected.

Susannah Moody Person identifier: LHZ8-FJ5 has two sets of parents.  This needs research and correction.

Betty Catherine Bruce Person identifier: 2MGH-H5K needs a definite date of death and place of death. I will have to look in my database.

William Gee Person identifier: LZJG-NS1 has an extra spouse that doesn’t belong.  I have written the person that placed that record, but he has so far not taken action.

Elam Luddington Person identifier: K24C-FH6 has three sets of parents. This needs research.

Edward Gee Person identifier: LC1Y-J1N has two children that need ordinances.

Martha Bingham Person identifier: LZD7-W9P needs to be combined with Mrs Solomon Gee Jr. MQRC-26F Her birth date is listed as 1694.

Deborah Gee Person identifier: KNSS-KG3 has one record with gender unknown.

This will take some time to do.  As I complete each item on the list, it will appear in my next watch e-mail entitled “Weekly FamilySearch changes for things you are watching” with me as the contributor.