Who is my grandfathers next of kin?

Question

I want to purchase his old army records he died in 1997,

thing is I need consent of his next of kin, his wife is also dead and he had 7 children, which I can get consent off all of them

BUT

before meeting my grandmother he had a wife and 2 children he left behinde, no one even knows their name, so would they be the next of kin???? or the new family he had?

Answer 1

It would be his oldest (legitimate) son or daughter

Answer 2

Don't worry about the other guys.  I think you only need one bona fide Next of Kin to get his DD-214, not all of 'em!

Answer 3

your grandfathers next of kin will be who he wants, l have two sisters alive one brother, four lads and one daugther and my daugther is my next of kin

Answer 4

Legally if his wife ,your grandmother ,is dead then any surviving "children" are his next-of-kin.

It gets tricky when you have to prove things ,if he left any documents declaring either of his children as his next-of-kin then things get simpler.

Technically as stated by others here his eldest surviving child is his legal next-of-kin.

Answer 5

Would try the oldest child that was closest to him

Answer 6

His next of kin is his wife, but since she too has passed on, I believe any of his children will do. One is enough. If the Army doesn't know about the first family, you don't have to tell them.

Answer 7

As the wife and children your grandfather left behind have had no contact and you dont know who they are, then his next of kin would now be the eldest of his children.

For his army records, as well as his death certificate, they would accept consent from any of his children.

Better still, if it is possible, get them all to sign, just to be on the safe side.

As you will be applying for the records for family history purposes, your application will go to the bottom of the pile, and you could have to wait up to 6 months for the records to arrive.

Answer 8

His oldest child would be the next of kin.