It’s funny how the smallest, almost mundane things can bring you the greatest discoveries. But I finally did it. I found my great-grandfather’s parents.

He Ran Away

For years, my grandmother and her siblings didn’t know who their paternal grandparents were. Family lore says their father, Steave Green, ran away from home in Lake City, Florida and moved to Fishkill, New York. He took his old Ford and drove straight up to New York for work and a better life. No one knows why he ran away– he didn’t talk about home or his childhood.

In 1929, he moved into a boarding house with the couple who would become his in-laws. Inevitably, he met his wife shortly thereafter. Three years later, they married in Beacon and then lived in Dennings Point for some time. After they started building their family, they moved permanently to Beacon.

Steave in 1930 with his future in-laws

Steave in a household with his future in-laws (United States Census, 1930)

We didn’t really know where to start with Steave. Most events in his life, from 1929 until his death in 1959, were firmly accounted for. We knew that he worked at Dennings Point Brick Works, Brockway as a brick setter. He was a church-going man, attending Springfield Baptist Church on Beekman Street. He had a few cars. Steave was friendly, much more boisterous than his more reserved wife. His amicable nature probably helped him get odd jobs around town in-between shifts at Brockway. Everyone knew him.

The earliest stages of his life were a mystery. Except for the fact that he might have had a sister.

Origins of a Unique Spelling

Despite an inability to read or write, Steave could write his name and often spelled it with an “a.” Perhaps he had wanted to stand out from a sea of other “Steve Greens.” Despite this, his name was often recorded using a variety of “Steve” spellings, including “Stephen,” “Steve,” and “Steave.”

Placing Steave

Each census record from the 1930 to 1940 confirmed both his and his parents’ birthplaces: Florida. According to his World War II Draft Registration Card, his birthplace was Lake City, Florida.

Steave's WWII Draft Registration Card

The front of Steave’s draft registration card, with his place of birth highlighted. (1942; Draft Registration Cards for New York State, 10/16/1940 - 3/31/1947)

So I started with his death certificate. If his wife (who would likely be the informant) knew anything about his previous life, she would have put his parents’ names on the document, right?

I submitted my request and waited a grueling year to finally receive the document from the New York State Department of Health’s Office of Vital Statistics. Still no parents to be found. But it did confirm his birth place of Lake City, Florida.

Steave's Death Certificate

A snippet of Steave’s Death Certificate (1959)

His children were right, he didn’t talk about his parents with anyone. This record and his obituary showed that his wife, Susie, didn’t know who they were either.

When in Doubt, Create a Timeline

I decided to create a timeline, working backwards from his death in 1959 to confirm what I already knew and identify what was missing. City directories, census records, death records, obituaries, and oral histories helped me piece together nearly 30 years of his life.

Social Security Index Record for Steave Green

The Social Security Claims Index Record that was the key! (U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007)

But it was an index record to a claim on his Social Security that helped me take a step closer to his early life. Once I had his Social Security number, I could create a FOIA request for his original Social Security Application, also known as his SS-5 form. Finding this form can be crucial for verifying a birth date and place, full name, employer, and most importantly for me, the names of parents.

The Social Security Administration was formed as a part of the Social Security Act of 1935 and applications were accepted in the years after. For more about Social Security records, I recommend this post.

FOIA Requests

FOIA stands for “Freedom of Information Act.” To submit a FOIA request, go to FOIAOnline.gov and click “Create a Request,” then select “Social Security Administration” as the agency. From there, follow the prompts to request your SS-5. You’ll need your ancestor’s name, date of birth, and social security number. Any additional relevant information is helpful too!

As of this post, the fee is $21 for a copy of your ancestor’s SS-5 application. Mine arrived a few weeks after I requested it.

Steave’s SS-5

And then, there it was: Steave Green's parents

Father’s Full Name: Robert Green

Mother’s Full Maiden Name: Lizzie Brighton

What was curious was that he had listed his birthplace as “Charlotte, North Carolina.” I hadn’t seen North Carolina mentioned in any of his records before. But I knew this was him. The birth date, employer, his current city, and his signature matched all of the other records I had found.

Steave Green's signature on his Social Security Application

Steave’s signature on his SS-5 form. Notice how it looks similar to the signature on his WWII Draft Registration Card!

What’s Next

With this information in hand, I have what I need to start building Steave’s household in Lake City, Florida. I also had the clue that he could have had a sister. Since I now have his mother’s maiden name, I can also look for other Brightons in the area.

If I came up empty in Florida, I could also scour Charlotte, North Carolina’s records. What if he had lied about Florida being his home?

Regardless of where this discovery takes me, I can finally tell Steave’s children who their paternal grandparents were.