Decrees of Legal Death
In April 1921, a 33-year-old man named Albert found himself unemployed after having worked for a while at the infamously short-lived Steel’s.[1] The circumstances leading to his unemployment aren’t currently known, but one thing is: That same month, Albert walked out of his Manhattan apartment and never returned.[2] He left behind his 28-year-old wife, Mary, and their two daughters, 9 and 3.[3]
After years of searching and waiting, Mary wanted to remarry. In order to do so, she first had to have Albert declared legally dead. How did she do it? Where are those records? And what can they tell you?
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About Author
Aaron Goodwin
Aaron is a genealogist and house historian specializing in New York City research across all time periods, from the Dutch colonial era to the 20th century. His book, New York City Municipal Archives: An Authorized Guide for Family Historians, won the National Genealogical Society’s 2017 Award for Excellence: Genealogical Methods and Sources. He is also editor of NGS Monthly, former contributing editor of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, and former editor of the Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine. In 2011, he received the American Society of Genealogists’ Scholar Award.