Working Women: Social Security Applications

Have you been sure to check for social security applications for all the women in your family?

I’m surprised at the number of women I have been able to find who had SSNs. They sometimes provided wonderful little tidbits of information.

Although this blog title is Working Women, I found plenty of applications from women who were housewives. (And of course what they did was also work!)

The card below reflects everything I’ve heard about my great-grandmother Beatrice Prather. Look at all the extra details, and her very precise handwriting:

Here’s the card for a cousin, Grace Howard:

Have you found many SS5 cards for women in your trees? Have you looked?

Do not forget to use these valuable records in conjunction with the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) and the Social Security Applications and Claims Index (1936-2007) database on Ancestry.

Robyn

I am an engineer by day, but my true passion lies in genealogy. I have been a researcher, writer, and teacher for over twenty years. This blog is where I share family history strategies, resources, tips and advice for all genealogists. I also discuss researching slavery and its aftermath. This lifelong quest has helped me to better know my family’s past. I’ve taken back– reclaimed– some of that lost memory, especially that of my enslaved ancestors. I hope you’ll sign up to receive my posts—if you do, you’ll get a free PDF with some of my favorite tips! And please do share posts that interest you.