STEVE MORSE’S ONE-STEP WEBSITE ~ If you thought it was only for passenger records–Think again!

When I began doing family research I tried to learn as much as I could.  One of the first things I remember hearing about was Steve Morse’s One Step site for finding passenger records.  The site combined the records from Ellis Island and Castle Garden, making searching easier.

THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS NOW

Oh, how this webite has changed over the years.

IF YOU HAVEN’T VISITED LATELY I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU TAKE A LOOK

HERE ARE JUST SOME OF THE GREAT RESOURCES YOU WILL FIND

• Passenger lists, not just from Ellis Island and Castle Garden, but Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia and more
• Ships lists and photos
• Census information including images, ED finders, maps and more
• Some Canadian and UK census records
• New York Census records
• Some vital records
• All kinds of calendar conversions, zip codes, area codes etc.
• Foreign Alphabet translations
• DNA informaton, publications and more

Let me show you one example of how this site can help you.

I need to find a death record for my great granduncle, Vincent F. Thorp.  I have a Cook County, Illinois, Death Index that tells me he died on 4 Dec 1910 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  The index gives me enough information for me to believe this is the right person.  The index does include an FHL film number.

I could go to the Cook County, Illinois website and try to locate a certificate number.  NOTE:  I happen to know that the death record images from this year are not online.

I went to Steve Morse’s site and looked under Vital Records (in the list on the left hand side of the home page).  Then went to Illinois Death Records (pre 1916)

(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT)


That takes me to the next screen, where I fill in information to try and locate my record.
 
TIP:  I generally begin with a broad net when I search.  Based on the requirement listed for this set of records, all I entered was a first name and the first two letters of the last name.



Will that be enough information?  Let’s find out.

YES!  Look what came up in my search!!



This certainly looks like the right guy to me, based on the death index.
 
Now I can order a death certificate using that certificate number.
So, now you know, if you didn’t already, that the Steve Morse website is about a LOT more than passenger records.

Please let me know if you’ve used this website lately.  If so, what did you find?

Happy hunting,

Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2016   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION