Unk Hiram's
Beginning Genealogy Lessons
Lesson #8

Lesson 8: Birth, Death and other Miscellaneous Stuff at the Courthouse
I know what you are thinking "Am I ever gonna be done at the Courthouse?" To be honest...no, but thats why they call genealogy an obssesion. In this lesson I would like to take a look at some of the other documents that are of keen interest to all of us Tree climbers.

Birth Registers:

This book is much like the marriage register but with a few major differences. The first of the differences is that not all county clerks will allow you to look in the birth register. I am not sure if there is a specific law that covers the "Register"; it seems to vary from state to state and county to county. IF you are allowed to look in the register, copy down all of the pertinant data, including the page number in the register. Your "Abstract" of the Birth Register should look something like this:


Birth Abstract from: Your county, your state
Date : The date you did the abstact
Done by: Your name
Name: The baby's name
Birthdate: Self Explanatory
Mothers Name: Self Explanatory
Fathers Name: Self Explanatory
Location: Where the child was born
Date Filed: We do this because of "delayed" birth certs


The reason we do an extract from the Birth Register book is that you will NOT be allowed to look at the birth certificate itself. You cannot make a copy of it (at least not in any state I have done research in). If you want a copy of the birth record you must purchase it from the Vital Records department. The costs range from $8 to $27. So you need to carefully choose which, if any, birth certificates you want to add to your files.

Death Registers:

The rules on access to this register also seems to vary from place to place. If you are given access to this register do an abstract similar to the birth abstract but including a cause of death. Again, like birth certificates, you will not be allowed to make a copy of a death certificate. In the case of these certificates, choose carefully which ones you require for your files. The cost can be prohibitive.

Miscellaneous:

Some counties maintain a record for all veterans discharged in their county. These documents are a "primary source" for military facts on your ancestors. You will also want to spend a least a few minutes going thru the court records, your ancestor may have been a witness, juror or if your family is like mine the defendant in a court case. This information can be invaluable in proving that your ancestor was in a specific location at a specific time.

Q & A Section:

1. You are always allowed access to birth registers and birth certificates.
   
   1. True
      
   2. False
      
   3. Only in Maine.
      
   
   
2. If you are allowed to view the birth register you should do a "birth abstract" because ________
   
   1. It really frustrates the County Clerk
      
   2. It is easier than trying to file all those odd-sized birth certificates in your records.
      
   3. You will not be allowed to copy the birth certificate and the cost of buying all of the certificates may be prohibitive.
      
   
   
3. What other records should you look through while you are in the courthouse?
   
   1. Military discharges and court minutes
      
   2. The county clerk's checkbook
      
   3. Visitor passes
      

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