Gail, You may also want to check the local newspaper for that timeframe. I've found some in the Cleburne Co. Paper for that timeframe, so maybe Etowah's paper published them as well. Usually didn't give the child's name, but named the parents and whether a boy or girl. Official birth records were not required to be recorded until 1908. However, some counties may have kept a record of birth. The Alabama Archives have some midwife records. Contact them to find out what counties/years are available either on microfilm or in hard copy. C. Cruise Hi, Can someone tell me if they have birth records in Alabama for 1887. Gail

Gail, I should have mentioned to you that the newspapers might be a good source. There is also a book in the Gadsden Library (and other places) that is an abstraction of birth and death records from the Gadsden Times. They were collected by a local gentleman and given to the library after his death The Library published them. My husband and I are abstracting the Gadsden Times also. We are currently in 1886. The four published volumes so far are in various libraries including Gadsden, Anniston, Huntsville, and many others. If you are not located in Gadsden, tell me where you are and I'll let you know the closest library that has the books. Patti View my genealogy queries: http://cousinconnect.com/p/a/0/u/71736/ Talk to me on line! AIM: fcspatti; MSN Messenger: fcspatti; YAHOO Messenger: fcspatti Surnames being researched: MARTIN (NC, So. GA), HOUSTON (FL, SC), McDANIEL (GA), POTTER (AL, MS, GA, NC), WIGGINS (SC, AL), BROWN (AL), PARKER (GA), WES(T)COT(T) (NY, IL, AL), CORNU(E) (NY), McCLURE (AL, KY), STONE (AL, SC), NOWLAND (AL, GA), WILLIAMSON (AL, GA, SC), GOGGINS/GOGGANS (SC), HUGHES (AL, SC), BALL (AL, GA, SC), GOLDEN (AL, SC?), ROBERSON (GA), ROBERTSON (SC), TRAYLOR (SC), MOSELY (GA, SC), GRAHAM (NC, SC, PA), GIBSON (SC), RICHARDS (SC, NH), RAMSOUR (NC, PA), BOLLINGER (NC, PA), SMITH (NC), DAVIS (NC), KINNIARD (FL, WV, VA), ROLSTON (WV, VA), WORTH (PA), ALEXANDER (SC, PA)