Hi Grace, I had the same difficulty and was told to " come in on Wednesday morning between 9am and 11:30, or hire a researcher". Well, I AM within driving distance here in MA, but that would mean getting up at 4am to do it or staying overnight in CT. I complained to Michael Lynch, the head of V.R. and received a letter of apology AND the information I was seeking (months and months after having written). I DID get there to do my own research on a Wed morning (the only time the office is open to the public for research. Yes, only 2 1/2 hours per week!) and must say that Mr. Lynch was very nice and very understanding. And, there is NO space to research and the clerks there are very busy trying to use the same space and books that you are and the records are not in the best shape. So, in their defense, I can understand the seemingly unbending attitude. BUT, we deserve to access our ancestor's information! It is a difficult business at best. The CT State Library has some of the same information, but there again, you must hire a researcher to get it for you. I would ask someone on this list who lives in CT if they would be willing to do a lookup or get a record copied for you when they next go for their own research. Be patient and grateful for their willingness to help that comes from their own love of genealogy. Offer to pay them for all expenses incurred. That way it is still more affordable than hiring a researcher. When all else fails, hire a professional. That's my best suggestion and my own story with accessing CT information. I hope it will be helpful to anyone looking for family there. Melody Masi elizabeth godfrey wrote: > I know your frustration. I had the same problem. Went to the Woodbridge, > Conn Town Clerk for information on my great grandparents. She said because > I was not a certified genealogest I could not have the info. Conn. has some > kind of crazy law. Perhaps you could find the info from copies of the > records made by the Morman Church. They went to every town and city (years > ago) and photocopied all the records. If no luck, send a letter to the Town > Clerk, certified, and cite the "Right to Know Law" in Conn. You will have > to go on line under Conn., then get the RSA#. Also, perhaps send an e-mail > to the New England Gen. Society, in Boston, and ask where and how you can > get these records. I have to leave right now for a Dr.s apt. But if you > have no luck, I just copied the New Eng. Gen. & Hist. Society web site. I > can give it to you if you can't get yoiur info. > Elizabeth Rousseau Godfrey > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Grace Coffman" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2002 6:05 PM > Subject: [CTNEWHAV] Gah! Can anyone help with a birth record? > > > For some reason the Vital Records town clerk keeps sending my request to > > obtain a birth record back to me saying "We do not do Genealogical > research" > > Well I didnt *ask* them to do research, I asked them to mail me the BC! > > Bleck.. so now I dont know what to do - this is the second time they sent > it > > back to me- Im in Nebraska so can't go do it myself... can anyone help me > > with this? :( > > > > Ive ordered marriage and death certs from the town clerk with no problem, > > this is just too weird. Its over the 100 year limit so anyone should be > able > > to obtain these! > > > > Looking for: Birth record for: Laurence (Lawrence) Byington born 1882, > > father is Edwin Minor Byington and mother is Harriet I. Dudley. If anyone > > has any suggesstions or can help a poor researcher out, I'd certainly > > appreciate it! > > > > -Grace > > > > > > > > ==== CTNEWHAV Mailing List ==== > > To post messages to the New Haven County, CT discussion list, send them to > > [email protected] > > > > > > ============================== > > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, > go to: > > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > > > > > ==== CTNEWHAV Mailing List ==== > Need to reach Colleen, the discussion coordinator? Send her an email > at <[email protected]>. > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237