Introducing Machinist Mate 2nd Class E. L. LeRoy Part 1a

I began the Do-Over research of my paternal grandfather with an oral history. From my parents I learned that he served on a sub in the War to end all Wars. While on the sub seawater got into a battery compartment and the off-gassing that occurred caused damage to my grandfather's lungs, complications from this would ultimately lead to his death years later. After meeting my Grandma May he moved to El Paso for a job a friend had gotten him. My father was born, as they were moving to El Paso, in Tarrant County.

The process that works for me best is to follow the steps I learned from the "Watch Geoff Live" (by Geoff Rassmussen) Webinars found on FamilyTreeWebinars.com (you can find them at the link here, a subscription may be required to view them.) The steps are also documented in the book Legacy Family Tree, Unlocked! which you can purchase from the link provided here.  Oh and these are not paid for promotions, these are the sources I used to learn how to use Legacy more effectively. That's why I mention and give them credit. If you aren't using them I highly suggest that you do. 

My father had limited records pertaining to his father, a death certificate, a naval discharge certificate, and some limited records generated during his service. I began with the Certified Copy of the Death Certificate. I reviewed this document and note that this is a certified copy, done by transcription. So, I have to look out for transcription errors and I should continue to search for the original document. I take the time to create a To-do item before I forget.

I open up Legacy and click on the to do list Icon.

I then click on add to create the to do Item for this task and one to search for the original Death Certificate. If you look at the highlighted lines you can see I've already done that but I'll still show you the screens. 

The first item is with the certified copy. 

You can see I don't overthink it I just put what I want to do - any clarification or hints and save it. once I complete the task I return here and add the closing date so you can see here I have created the image of the certified copy of the death certificate, I have evaluated and Transcribed the document and recorded the information that I got from the document into Legacy and then I come back to this item and fill in the date that I complete this task. 

Here is the to do item to find the original Death Certificate. I will come back to this later if I find the original or to assist me with ordering a copy of the original.

I transcribe the Certified Copy of the Death Certificate into my research diary (which is the primary script for this blog. Take out all the instructions and graphics explaining what I am discussing and put it into a word-processor instead of the internet and you have my research diary.), and analyze the quality of the information it contains. 

I want to digress and explain my research diary. I just use a word document that I record all the steps I take during the research of my people I have a separate document for each person. This will allow me to create a story of my research as well as keep track of what records I have researched and what records I have ruled out. Only as I write this I am realizing I have not been recording the dates in my research diary, but as we continue you can see how I unwittingly provided the solution that will allow me to correct this issue. To the left is the before picture of my Research Diary.

Certified Copy

This is to certify that this is a true copy of a copy of the original death certificate of Edward Leger LeRoy as it appears in the records of the Health Department of the City of El Paso, Texas. Dept. of Vital Statistics

Date 5-16-60 By [R. Rojas, Registrar by Mary Virgil Deputy Registrar] Registrar No 16

Certificate of Death

State of Texas State File No.

1. PLACE OF DEATH a. COUNTY EL PASO b. CITY OR TOWN (If outside city limits, give precinct no.) EL PASO c. LENGTH OF STAY in 1b. 10 yrs d. NAME OF HOSPITAL OR INSTITUTION (If not in hospital, give street address) 1201 Randolph St. #2 e. IS PLACE OF DEATH INSIDE CITY LIMITS? YES [ ] NO [ ] 2. USUAL RESIDENCE (Where deceased lived. If Institution: residence before admission) a. STATE Texas b. COUNTY El Paso c. CITY OR TOWN (If outside city limits, give precinct no.) El Paso d. STREET ADDRESS (If rural, give location) 1201 Randolph St. #2 e. IS RESIDENCE IINSIDE CITY LIMITS? YES [ ] NO [ ] f. IS RESIDENCE ON A FARM? YES [ ] NO [ ] 3. NAME OF DECEASED (Type or print) (a) First Edward (b) Middle Leger (c) Last LeRoy 4. DATE OF DEATH March 21 1956 5. SEX Male 6. COLOR OR RACE White 7. Married [x] Never Married [ ] Widowed [ ] Divorced [ ] 8. DATE OF BIRTH April 29 1896 9. AGE (in years last birthday) 59 IF UNDER 1 YEAR Months 10 Days 22 IF UNDER 24 HRS. Hours Minutes 10a. USUAL OCCUPATION (Give kind of work done during most of working life, even if retired) Machinist 10b. KIND OF BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY 11. BIRTHPLACE (State or foreign country) New York 12. CITIZEN OF WHAT COUNTRY? 13. FATHER'S NAME Unknown 14. MOTHER'S MAIDEN NAME Unknown 15. WAS DECEASED EVER IN THE U.S. ARMED FORCES? (Yes, no, or unknown) yes (If yes, give war or dates of service) WWI 16. SOCIAL SECURITY NO. Unknown 17. INFORMANT Mrs. May LeRoy 18. CAUSE OF DEATH [Enter only one cause per line for (a), (b), and (c).] PART I. DEATH WAS CAUSED BY: IMMEDIATE CAUSE (a) Bronchiectasis INTERVAL BETWEEN ONSET AND DEATH 5 TO 10 YRS Conditions, if any, which gave rise to above cause (a), stating the underlying cause last. DUE TO (b) Gas during war History DUE TO (c) Part II. OTHER SIGNIFICANT CONDITIONS CONTRIBUTING TO DEATH BUT NOT RELATED TO THE TERMINAL DISEASE CONDITION GIVEN IN PART I(a) Cardiovascular changes) 19. WAS AUTOPSY PERFORMED? YES [ ] NO [X] 20a. ACCIDENT [ ] SUICIDE [ ] HOMICIDE [ ] 20b. DESCRIBE HOW INJURY OCCURRED. (Enter nature of injury in Part I or Part II of Item 18.) 20c. TIME OF INJURY 20d. INJURY OCCURRED 20e. PLACE OF INJURY 20f. CITY, TOWN, OR LOCATION COUNTY STATE 21. I hereby certify that I attended the deceased from 12-6-55 and last saw the deceased alive on 12-6 1955. Death occurred at 3:00P.m. on the date stated above, and to the best of my knowledge, from the causes stated. 22a. SIGNATURE James W. Laws (Degree or title) M.D. 22b ADDRESS El Paso, Texas 1022 Mils Bldg 22c. DATE SIGNED 3-23-56 23a. BURIAL, CREMATION, REMOVAL (Specify) Burial 23b. DATE March 26 1956 23c. NAME OF CEMETERY OR CREMATORY Ft. Bliss National 23d. LOCATION (City, town, or county) Fort Bliss (State) Texas 24. FUNERAL DIRECTOR'S SIGNATURE Rodehamer-Millet Funeral Home Jack Rodehaner 25a. REGISTRAR'S FILE NO. 340 25b. DATE REC'D BY LOCAL REGISTRAR 3-23-56 25c. REGISTRAR'S SIGNATURE M.D. Homeds M.D.

I then use the SourceWriter to create a Master Source titled Texas-El Paso County-El Paso City-1960-Certified Copy of Death Certificate-Edward Leger LeRoy. I fill out the information I have for each tab.

Open Source assignments

Open Source Clipboard

You will have to click the clear button if it is already populated. 

You can add a new source or Edit an Existing one.

Select or search the document type.

Answer each question to get the right form

You don't have to fill out everything only what you know.

I put the full transcription under this tab.

This is the location of the document your working with.

Finally add the digital image of the document or artifact.

Further analysis of the document reveals two sources for the information on the document. The doctor is assumed to be the source for the medical details and could be considered first hand. The information that my Grandma May provides could be secondary or first hand depending on what data she is providing.  I use SourceWriter to create the Citation detail to attach and analyze each detail recorded. 

This part comes up when you click save on the screen.

Just fill out what you can. 

I put the full transcription in the top box and then in the bottom box I put notes relevant to the document, or fact

I add the picture here as well. 

Now that the Source Clipboard is set up Cite the facts as you enter them by clicking this button and this is where I put the part of the transcription that applies to that detail.

With the Source Clipboard configured I record the Place and Date of death knowing my citation is easy as clicking a button with each detail I enter. I also record the address and length of time there. I added the Date and Place of Birth. I add the source citation to his name and I entered an event for Military Service. I went to the medical notes section to record the Cause of Death. I made sure to record the date and place of burial and create an event to record his occupation. Each time keeping the full transcription in the notes field and editing the other filed with just the part of the transcription related to that detail and I attach a copy of the digital image of the artifact that the information came from.

Over the next weeks we will cover the rest of the documents I found in my father's possession, and maybe I'll even get some video's going. If you aren't using Legacy drop me a line and let me know what application you use, and if the workflow I follow was functional for you. Do you do something different Shoot me a line and let me know what you do and why. 

All images on this page were created by me for this blog. Copyright April 4, 2017.  All Rights reserved.