All My Ancestors

Because I’ve recently done a presentation on Vital Records and Their Substitutes, and because it’s an ongoing topic with researchers, and because Oklahoma has it’s own set of problems regarding vital records–I thought I’d share this article I encountered today in the Lawton Morning News, 23 Nov 1919.

A bit of background.  Oklahoma was not a state until November 1907.  As you can imagine, this wreaks havoc on those of us who had ancestors here early and want vital records.  Registrations was mandated early, but neither birth nor death records are consistently held until the mid 1930s.

Amy over at WeTree is one of the “victims.”  She has an ancestor who died in Oklahoma in 1919 who, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, does not have a death certificate.  (Never mind that they found one for this ancestor’s spouse who died in 1913–we don’t really expect consistency, do we?)  So I was browsing through the Lawton newspaper to see if there was an obituary.  I found this article about compliance with the Health Board Regulations.  It explains a lot:

COUNTIES REPORT BIRTHS TO STATE

One-third of Counties Complying Health Board Regulations

Oklahoma City, Nov. 22–Nearly one-third of the counties of the state are not complying with state health department regulations on reporting births and deaths to the vital statistic bureau, according to a report just made to Commissioner Arthur R. Lewis, by Ethel Hawley, state registrar.

Last month 23 counties made absolutely complete reports of all births and deaths.  In September there were only 19.  In 258 out of 399 registration districts, reports were made.  There are 46 districts with no registrars and 85 registrars who didn’t report.

Reports for October show 2753 births and 989 deaths, an increase of 244 births and 102 deaths over September.

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If you’ve followed my FB postings at all, you know I spend quite a bit of time, relatively speaking, at the Vital Records office here in Oklahoma City. I retrieve records for out of state researchers who need a death certificate pronto.  The last time I was there, the cashier was giving me instructions on where to go next, and then he stopped and said, “But you’ve been here before, haven’t you?”  What does it mean if the folks at Vital Records recognize you?

Recently I had the occasion to need some birth, death, and marriage certificates from California. The birth and death came from Sacramento fairly quickly–about 2 1/2 weeks. Surprisingly enough, they are sending me a refund for the two they didn’t find. Of course, the two they didn’t find, a birth in 1862 and a death in 1883 are the two I wanted most.

But I have another issue with the marriage record requested from Sierra County. They sent me a letter of “No Record Found,” and they had the wrong name for the groom on that form. Now, I’ve checked. I sent the correct name. Did they check the right name and put the wrong one on the form? Did they check the wrong name? And how do I diplomatically address this?  I’m hoping an oh, so polite telephone call tomorrow will help settle this for me.

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