Treasure Chest Thursday: Locating Myer Myers Death Certificate

I could not locate Myer Myers death certificate. Like much of the Myers/Malzmann family, Myer is buried in the First Lubiner Progressive Benevolent Association plot in Montefiore Cemetery, Queens, New York. The certificate should have been from one of the counties in New York City, but it was not indexed on the Italian Genealogy website, which has indices for deaths in the New York City boroughs. 

Exasperated, I called the cemetery and asked them if they had body transport records. Cemeteries generally do not maintain copies of death certificates, but they do get body transport forms. Sometimes, although not often, they keep them. 

The clerical staff at Montefiore told me that Myer had died in Monticello, New York. I contacted the Sullivan County Clerk's Office and they sent me to the Village of Monticello.

Village of Monticello, Sullivan County, New York, Register of Deaths, number 50 (30 July 1936), Meyer Myers, Village Clerks Office, Monticello, New York.

Recent experience has taught me, however, that this method of locating death certificates is hit or miss - even at the same cemetery(!). A few months ago I called Montefiore to ask about a body transport record for another individual. The clerk I spoke with told me that Montefiore Cemetery does not have those records.

At the time, I did not argue. Now I wonder if they jettisoned those records when they put all their burial indices online. I sure hope not. My hope is that I was just talking with someone who did not know the records in their files.

Myer was the eldest son of David and Ida Myers.

He was the first member of the family to emigrate (1902). Like everyone in the family, he became a glazier in New York City. And, apparently, like several other family members he retired to a rural lifestyle outside of the City.