I am searching for an obit and/or burial location for Andrew Clarence Pfaff and wife Dora. They were a family in the 1930 census for Olympia, WA. and had a daughter Helen at that time. The Social Security Death Index shows he died 11 April 1988 and his last residence was Brinnon, Jefferson Co., WA. Any help would be appreciated. Linda

I had to do some background work to get the facts. This included the age/date of births to confirm and also search for this family. When you post, post the basics to help the researcher. Most of us will probably look anyway for any missed clues, such as the Spelling of the name Dora versus Doris, the full age of the child, 2/12, as example.

First to "answer" your question on burial records. Cemetery transcriptions are far from complete anywhere, especially in larger towns and cities. For those cemeteries that have been transcribed, even the best transcriber misses graves, or stones are unreadible, or missing. Even IF you KNOW where someone is buried, they may not show up on any cemetery listing.
--IF, Andrew was buried in Brinnon...here is the listing for that county... As you can see the Brinnon Cemetery isn't even transcribed: http://www.usgwtombstones.org/washington/jefferson.htm
Here is another listing for Brinnon... there is only one person transcribed: http://www.interment.net/data/us/wa/jefferson/brinnon.htm

Recommendation?
First, if you haven't already, get his obituary, sometimes the obit will tell where they were to be buried. It might also show the location of his wife, daughter, etc. The 1930 Census showed a very young family, there could have been more children, or not. Here is how to get the obit(s):
The Washington State Library has a free research service, the ask-a-librarian program, where they will look for information in the archives, in this case the newspaper microfilm for an event, such as an obituary. They will look up to an hour and send you the results. Contact them at: http://www.secstate.wa.gov/library/ask.aspx .

THEN: go to: http://www.raogk.org/washingt.htm the Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness for a volunteer in Jefferson County...or another county if so suggested. Read the guidelines first, you can't ask more than one at a time.

Here is the basic research:


The 1930 Census for Olympia, Thurston County
Andrew Pfaff, age 24 (circa 1905/1906), born in Washington to both parents born in Wisconsin, a lathe man at a saw mill.
Doris, age 17 (1912/1913), born in Michigan to both parents born in Michigan.
Helen M, age 2?/12. Census was enumerated April 10, is if it is a 2, she was born late January/early February 1930.
--You identified her name as Dora, the image appears to be "Doris". I'll go with your knowledge of her name.

I looked for ANY Doris in the 1920 Census, living in Washington, born in Michigan plus/minus 2 years of 1912. I found a Doris E Whipple age 7, living in Chambers, Thurston County; but her sister was a Dora J, age 6. Do you have any information on the maiden name of the wife of Andrew? In 1930 Dora Whipple was still living with her parents (Chas and Florence). She was also born in Michigan, Doris in Washington.

Washington Birth Index shows Andrew born 6 May 1905 to Geo L. Pfaff and Emma Langford.

The Social Security Death Index shows the same DOB, Death date 11 April 1988. The "Last Residence" was shown as Brinnon, Jefferson County, Washington. NOTE: The "Last Residence" was not always where a person actually lived. It was sometimes the location where the death payment was sent to a surviving spouse, or child still under home care. Since 1988 was some 58 years after the birth of Helen, it could have been where she lived also. The Social Security laws had changed since then. At that time payment was sent to surviving spouse, minor child, or to the person that paid for the burial.

The SSDI shows a Doris M Pfaff born 15 Oct 1918, died 8 July 2005, SSN issued in Washington. This person is 5-6 years younger than the date of the 1930 census, and would have been about 11/12 when the daughter was born...probably not the right one.

The California Death Index shows a Helen M. Pfaff, born 17 June 1912, died 4 May 1994 at Huntington Beach, Orange Co, CA. Her SSN 534-01-6954
--This person could be just a large coincidence; but her SSN was issued in Washington State and she had the same name as the daughter of Andrew. Perhaps another coincidence. As a LONG time genealogist, I wouldn't recommend doing research on this person, unless you have some knowledge that the wife of Andrew did have a real name of Helen M.

The Thurston County Recorder has a recorded document dated 11/02/1981 for Andrew C. Pfaff. The Grantor was Candlewood Trailer Park. Lot 811104103.

The Jefferson County Recorder showed property was sold in 1988 in Jefferson County. Recording date 8/24/1988. So his land was sold after his death. His name was the only one on the deed.

Ron Bestrom

Greetings!
Thank you for the work you put into this. Your evidence verifies what my own research has already shown. I made this simple post with the idea that since Brinnon is a small town, there might be a chance that someone reading this post might be familiar with the cemteries in the area, or perhaps even with Andrew Pfaff and could be of help.
The posting record with this particular post does not show all of my postings because I shared an Ancestry subscription for years with my daughter-in-law and my history is under that name too. I can tell you I have had amazing luck with helpful people in small towns turning up just the information I have been looking for.
There were 7 children in this Pfaff family--Andrew being the youngest. Their father George Ludwig Pfaff, whose records show he also used Louis and Lewis as a first name. Their mother was Emily Francis LaVigne (I have no idea where the Langford name in his birth record came from--the record for his brother who was also born in Washington shows her correctly as Emma LaVigne) who tended to use Emma as a first name. She is a sister to my great-grandmother. I have traced them from Portage, Columbia Co., Wisconsin (1900) to Olympia, Thurston Co., Washington (1910). But, I have been unable to find a death record for George/Louis/Lewis, or obits for any of the family members. My late father's sister (deceased) told me she was in touch with the family many years ago when they were living in Olympia, but the family stories end right there.
I will try the Washington state library archives for an obit as you suggested. Thank you. Linda

George died 5 Oct 1920 in Olympia.

Go to: http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#...

Click on the map, then scroll down to the Washington Death Certificate Index.

Input George Pfaff, you'll get 5, he should be the one on the bottom.

Ron Bestrom

Thank you so much! I used that site for getting info on Emma and must not have looked for George? Doens't make sense, but again thank you! Two head are better than one!Linda