BIRTH INFORMATION RECORDED IN VITAL RECORDS
Brenda Kellow
April 24, 2011
Most genealogists find at one time or the other that they cannot determine the correct year one or more ancestors were born. I certainly have that problem with one of mine. In truth, there is more than one, but I am only going to use one example here.
Elizabeth was a child in her parents’ household on the 1850 census of Arkansas. The family is on the census for the same year in Tennessee. On the Arkansas census, her age is 20, but she is five years younger on the Tennessee census. Later in her life, on the Texas census she gives her age as fifteen years younger than she was on the Arkansas census, and she says she was born in Illinois. Her tombstone inscription says 22 July 1830. I use the age on the 1850 Arkansas census since the years correspond. No other record gives clues to a day, month or year of her birth.
The famous movie star Joan Crawford lacks a definite year of her birth. At this time, biographers give 1904, 1905 and 1906 as the date. Britannica, Columbia and the All Movie Guide say 1908. Which is correct?
Joan Crawford generally claims she was born Lucille Fay Le Sueur in 1908 in San Antonio. Vital records in Texas begin in 1902, but they did not really get organized and consistent about recording until several years later. To date, there is no paper record.
If Crawford were born in 1908 as she claims, then she would have been starting college at 14 and 16 when she came to MGM. Fourteen is probably too young to begin college. Most historians believe she shaved four years off her birth as some vain Hollywood women sometimes did.
Perplexing as it is, there is no paper record to show her birth year. The same is true for my Elizabeth. In her case, her state of birth is unknown for sure.
USA VITAL RECORDS POSTED ATFAMILYSEARCH.ORG: The following United States vital records databases posted or updated at FamilySearch.org.
Arkansas County Marriages, 1837-1957: Index and images of marriages recorded in counties of Arkansas.
Ohio Births and Christenings, 1821-1962: Name index to birth, baptism and christening records from the state of Ohio.
Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958: Name index to marriage records from the state of Ohio.
Ohio County Marriages, 1790-1950:Name index and images of county marriage records acquired from local courthouses. Currently this collection is 76% complete.
Oklahoma County Marriages, 1891-1959: Name index and images of marriage records from counties in Oklahoma. Counties included so far include Adair, Alfalfa, Atoka, Beaver, Beckham, Blaine, Bryan, Caddo, Canadian, Dewey, Garfield, Harmon, Hughes, Jackson, Jefferson, and Kingfisher Counties.
Tennessee Death Records, 1914-1955: Imaged Records. Name index and images of Tennessee death certificates. Statewide death registration began in 1914.
Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954: Imaged Records: Name index and images (index cards) of town clerk transcriptions of births, marriages and deaths, 1760-1954. This collection is complete for years 1871-1908.
U.S.A. Social Security Death Index: A name index to deaths recorded by the Social Security Administration beginning in 1962.
Brenda Kellow has a bachelor's degree in history, teaches, and lectures on genealogy. Before retiring to publish her family’s histories in 2007, Brenda held certification as a Certified Genealogist and as a Certified Genealogical Instructor. Send reunion announcements, books to review, and genealogy queries to: [email protected].
Elizabeth was a child in her parents’ household on the 1850 census of Arkansas. The family is on the census for the same year in Tennessee. On the Arkansas census, her age is 20, but she is five years younger on the Tennessee census. Later in her life, on the Texas census she gives her age as fifteen years younger than she was on the Arkansas census, and she says she was born in Illinois. Her tombstone inscription says 22 July 1830. I use the age on the 1850 Arkansas census since the years correspond. No other record gives clues to a day, month or year of her birth.
The famous movie star Joan Crawford lacks a definite year of her birth. At this time, biographers give 1904, 1905 and 1906 as the date. Britannica, Columbia and the All Movie Guide say 1908. Which is correct?
Joan Crawford generally claims she was born Lucille Fay Le Sueur in 1908 in San Antonio. Vital records in Texas begin in 1902, but they did not really get organized and consistent about recording until several years later. To date, there is no paper record.
If Crawford were born in 1908 as she claims, then she would have been starting college at 14 and 16 when she came to MGM. Fourteen is probably too young to begin college. Most historians believe she shaved four years off her birth as some vain Hollywood women sometimes did.
Perplexing as it is, there is no paper record to show her birth year. The same is true for my Elizabeth. In her case, her state of birth is unknown for sure.
USA VITAL RECORDS POSTED ATFAMILYSEARCH.ORG: The following United States vital records databases posted or updated at FamilySearch.org.
Arkansas County Marriages, 1837-1957: Index and images of marriages recorded in counties of Arkansas.
Ohio Births and Christenings, 1821-1962: Name index to birth, baptism and christening records from the state of Ohio.
Ohio Marriages, 1800-1958: Name index to marriage records from the state of Ohio.
Ohio County Marriages, 1790-1950:Name index and images of county marriage records acquired from local courthouses. Currently this collection is 76% complete.
Oklahoma County Marriages, 1891-1959: Name index and images of marriage records from counties in Oklahoma. Counties included so far include Adair, Alfalfa, Atoka, Beaver, Beckham, Blaine, Bryan, Caddo, Canadian, Dewey, Garfield, Harmon, Hughes, Jackson, Jefferson, and Kingfisher Counties.
Tennessee Death Records, 1914-1955: Imaged Records. Name index and images of Tennessee death certificates. Statewide death registration began in 1914.
Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954: Imaged Records: Name index and images (index cards) of town clerk transcriptions of births, marriages and deaths, 1760-1954. This collection is complete for years 1871-1908.
U.S.A. Social Security Death Index: A name index to deaths recorded by the Social Security Administration beginning in 1962.
Brenda Kellow has a bachelor's degree in history, teaches, and lectures on genealogy. Before retiring to publish her family’s histories in 2007, Brenda held certification as a Certified Genealogist and as a Certified Genealogical Instructor. Send reunion announcements, books to review, and genealogy queries to: [email protected].