On 27 Apr 97, Thomas Danicki penned the following: > Hello > > I've just had my first experience trying to learn more about distant > relatives by requesting their birth certificates from the Commonwealth > of Pennsylvania's Dept. of Health. My efforts were unsuccessful (and > frustrating!) because I did not (and still do not) know their precise > dates of birth. After this disappointing experience, it makes me wonder > if there is really any point in trying the birth certificate route? If Have you ever actually looked at the hardcopy of birth certificates? If you did, you'd understand why they need the date of birth. I lived in a large city and a trip to the county office that housed the birth records was always an adventure. You'd be let into a room with bookcases filled with huge volumes. These books were roughly 18" x 24" if not larger. These were the indexices. When "baby Jones" is born on May 10, 1920, the information is recorded in a volume under May and within that month under the appropriate initial (ie. "J"). Those names are not alphebetized other than that all of them are listed under the same initial. They are listed in chronological order of receipt, not even by birthdate. So when you ask a clerk to look up an individual, you are asking for a monumental undertaking if you don't know the date of birth. Some cities probably have this information computerized now, but I'll bet not many of them. I liked going through those books because you often found things you'd never discover otherwise. Mistakes in spelling being the most common. Once you found the person you were looking for, the next adventure was to be led into a huge room that stored the actual birth certificates. By accident, while browsing through a volume for one of my relatives, I discovered Paul Newman's birth certificate was in close proximity. About the closest I've been to a real celebrity. :) Now, to answer your original question. Yes, birth certificates can be useful. Aside from the obvious information to be found, they also tell you how many children the mother has given birth to. A good way to discover if there are any further lines to research. I discovered that my Grandmother had given birth to 10 children but had only known of the 7 that were living. By narrowing down what years those extra children were born, I was able to discover their names and later their death certificates. The other thing I found useful about birth certificates is the addresses. By tracing the current address listed on the certificate, I was able to track my families movement around the city and to later find neighbors who were able to fill me in on some information even the remaining uncles and aunts didn't know. Sandy Sandra Rozhon <srozhon@cybergate.net> Searching: ROZHON, WANICKI, MYCZKOWSKI, HORWATH, JEMIOLA, KAPUSTA JASKOVE, SYKORY, VANECKA, JASKA, DUBEC Bojesice, Mirovice, Vystrkov, Ostrov, Rakovice, Zalozany, Zebrakov, Zahorany (BOHEMIA) Skalat & Mielec, Przemysl Noi Miasto (POLAND) Sapiergiskis, Kaunas, Klaipeda, Memel (LITHUANIA)

I've been reading this newsgroup and other genealogyical web pages in search of the VONDRA and REJDA surnames and have noticed these names never seem to show up. Are these unusual last names or could they have been altered during immigration? In searching my own records I do not show any altering of spellings but my records do not go beyond the time my grandparents immigrated from Moravia in the late 1800's to Nebraska. Can anyone be of assistance? thanks LuAnne

April 28th, 1997 I am looking for any information on the family name VORUNION I have found family meVorunion family members in New York and Florida and have been told that the family name originates in Belarus. Where would I search in Belarus? I have a person who speaks Russian going to Belarus in June, 1997. Any information you can provide, would be appreciated. Thank you. Joseph S. Caudill 1011 N. Pennsylvania Sreet Denver, Colorado 80203-3275 Tel. (888) 830-2696 Tel. (303) 830-2696 FAX. (888) 830-2695 FAX. (303) 830-2695 caudill@concentric.net JSC caudill@concentric.net

Hi , When requesting a birth certificate from the Commonwealth of Pa , Dept of Vital Statistics in New Castle, be sure you request the * long form*. Requesting a "birth certificate" other than the long form will result in your receiving the certificate with the raised seal such as needed for passport and other uses. The long form certificate identifies the parents. Prior to 1906 birth, death records are housed in the county court house of the person's residence or county. It doesn't matter if the dob or dod is not known. These records are on microfilm and indexed. Pat Westmoreland County , PA Coordinator USGENWEB http://www.westol.com/~pita/ On Sun, 27 Apr 1997, Thomas Danicki wrote: > Hello > > I've just had my first experience trying to learn more about distant > relatives by requesting their birth certificates from the Commonwealth > of Pennsylvania's Dept. of Health. My efforts were unsuccessful (and > frustrating!) because I did not (and still do not) know their precise > dates of birth. After this disappointing experience, it makes me wonder > if there is really any point in trying the birth certificate route? If > I knew all of the information about the person requested on > Pennsylvania's "Application For ... > Copy Of Birth Or Death Record", I don't see why I would want the birth > certificate. It seems to me that if a governmental unit wanted to > facilitate retrieval of vital records, the records would be filed > alphabetically, not by "date of event". > > Has anyone here had any positive experiences via the birth (or death) > certificate route? > Does anyone know if Pennsylvania's filing system is typical of most > other states? I can truly appreciate the value of "protecting a > person's privacy" -- but then why pretend (mislead, really) that such > vital records are of genealogical value? > > -- > > Thomas J. Danicki danickit@concentric.net, Rochester Hills, Mich. 48306 > U.S.A. > > "...you've got that stunned Brian-Wilson-is-a-god look on your face!" > - Bruce Johnston, per _Endless Summer Quarterly_ >

Thomas Danicki wrote: >I've just had my first experience trying to learn more about distant >relatives by requesting their birth certificates from the Commonwealth >of Pennsylvania's Dept. of Health. My efforts were unsuccessful (and >frustrating!) because I did not (and still do not) know their precise >dates of birth. After this disappointing experience, it makes me wonder >if there is really any point in trying the birth certificate route? If >I knew all of the information about the person requested on >Pennsylvania's "Application For ... >Copy Of Birth Or Death Record", I don't see why I would want the birth >certificate. Hi Thomas, As someone doing genealogy in PA for over 20 years I can appriciate your frustration. I too also felt that if I knew all this information that the form requires I wouldn't be asking for a copy!!! Also keep in mind the state doesn't have records before 1905 (they are at the county court house) and even after this date there was no big rush for doctors and midwives to fill out those forms. My dad was born in 1916 and there is no state birth form for him but there is a church baptismal. So you may want to try writing the church....and to further frustrate you many times these requests also go unanswered. But I may add I have used the state for death certificates when all other sources failed (the best source I have found is just to write to the funeral home as they have all this information and then some!) and it seems that if you get the "wrong" clerk or the "right clerk" on the "wrong" day you won't get any information. Sometimes I have had very few questions done and gotten a response and other times I may only have one line not filled in and they send it back. Who knows???!!???!!! Joanne Central PA

GE>I have noticed on my surname that "Vomacka" becomes "Vomackova" when the GE>gender shifts from male to female. What sort of language rules apply on GE>dropping a letter (vowel only?) as with the "ek" on bs039's examples or just GE>changing the "a" to "ova" x for arbitrary consonant, o for arbitrary vowel, particular letters in uppercase Adjective-like names: change -Y to -A only: Tichy->Ticha Minsky->Minska Substantives: -EK drop vowel, then append; Vondracek->Vondrackova -A drop A, then append; Pivonka->Pivonkova Benda->Bendova -oEL (foreign) append: Daniel->Danielova Samuel->Samuelova -xEL drop E, then append: Pavel->Pavlova (but no drop with verb-like names, formally past participles: Kacel->Kacelova) -IOS, -IUS (Greek origin) drop -ox and append: Alexius->Alexiova otherwise: append -ova Singular irregularities will sure exist. I'll pass Czech surname list through this algorithm and we shall see. But not today. Jaroslav Pivonka <pivonka@ibm.net> aka <jpivonka@bbs.infima.cz>

Thomas Danicki wrote: > > Hello > > I've just had my first experience trying to learn more about distant > relatives by requesting their birth certificates from the Commonwealth > of Pennsylvania's Dept. of Health. My efforts were unsuccessful (and > frustrating!) because I did not (and still do not) know their precise > dates of birth. After this disappointing experience, it makes me wonder > if there is really any point in trying the birth certificate route? If > I knew all of the information about the person requested on > Pennsylvania's "Application For ... > Copy Of Birth Or Death Record", I don't see why I would want the birth > certificate. It seems to me that if a governmental unit wanted to > facilitate retrieval of vital records, the records would be filed > alphabetically, not by "date of event". > > Has anyone here had any positive experiences via the birth (or death) > certificate route? > Does anyone know if Pennsylvania's filing system is typical of most > other states? I can truly appreciate the value of "protecting a > person's privacy" -- but then why pretend (mislead, really) that such > vital records are of genealogical value? > > -- > > Thomas J. Danicki danickit@concentric.net, Rochester Hills, Mich. 48306 > U.S.A. > > "...you've got that stunned Brian-Wilson-is-a-god look on your face!" > - Bruce Johnston, per _Endless Summer Quarterly_ I got the ones that I sent for. I think that you have to know the year that they were born or died(after 1906 only). My dad born in 1913 did not have a birth certificate, but he got a baptism certificate from the church for his Social Security. I don't remember the reason I used to get them? I don't know if I said it was for genealogy or not. John Kubla

Hello, I am very familiar with the Pachuta name. After I was discharged from the US Army I lived at 647 Beatty St. for a few years near the corner of Elm St. My Parents were John Bobik b-1897, d-1970, Trenton NJ, he came from the village of Kuzuchov about 4 Kilometers south of Trebisov. My mother was Elizabeth Bobik b-1901, d-1997 on January 7, Trenton. My father was grey haired and very short and some times wore gloves to church because it helped the problems he was having with his hands. They were from Home Avenue as I mentioned in an earlier message. They had 4 boys, Jozef, John S. who passed away in 1931 at the age of 2, John T. and myself, Emil. There was one daughter who went to mass with my mother even when Elizabeth was in her 90's. My sister's name was Eleanor although she likes to be called Lennie. Her last name is Vannoy. Depending on your mother's age she was probably in the same class as John T. age 64 or Eleanor age 66. My father was president of the Sokol Lodge for years and in the at 50's and early 60's I use to be the treasurer for the lodge. I left Trenton and sold the house on Beatty Street in 1965. I use to be the talk of the neighbor hood back than, since the row houses were all painted in shades of brown and I had my house painted blue and white. Emil Bobik bobiksr@netpluscom.com

Can someone tell me where Nestin, Austria is? My grandfather listed this as his birthplace on immigration papers. Thanks Kathy

Looking for any information on these names. Have been told that the first Plachte came here in the 1840's. My husband is only the fourth generation and no one, his Grandfather would talk about his ancestry. Very secretive, to say the least, which just lends to the mystery. I have found a Czech article on a Josef Placht, b. 1851, but have not totally translated the article. He must have been a master sailboat maker, or woodworker. If anyone has information on him or any other Placht(e), please contact me. Thanks! Pam Plachte

---------- > From: MDeak62074 <mdeak62074@AOL.COM> > To: GEN-SLAVIC@MAIL.EWORLD.COM > Subject: Re: Villages Benadikovce, Kurimka > Date: Sunday, April 27, 1997 12:28 AM > > I am looking for Deak, Bodrog, Kopej from Rankin and Braddock,Pa > do you have any information from St Michael Orthodox catholic church. It is my understanding as a Byzantine Catholic that Orthodox is not Catholic...so you might have trouble finding an Orthodox Catholic Church. There are many Byzantine Catholic Churches that have web sites with old pictures of school classes and such. Type Byzantine Catholic in to do a search and you might find something useful.

MARGARET SHEREMATA wrote: > > On Sat, 26 Apr 1997, Dan Palaimo wrote: > > > Does anyone know where I might be able to download Fonts so I can write > > Lithuanian words showing the right pronunciations? > > You might check out the Usenet group comp.fonts - there is a lot of > activity over there, and quite a few experts answering questions and > posting URLs. > > Which diacritical marks are needed in Lithuanian? Wordperfect versions > all the way back to 5.1 have multilanguage codes without using a > special keyboard. I am able to get a hachek for Slovak out of good old > WP 5.1+ for DOS and out of MS Word if it is running under Windows 95. > > Margaret Sheremata Thanks Margaret! I'm running WordPerfect 7.0 Suite and it does have a multilanguage but when I view the fonts they look like ordinary English fonts. I'll have to get out the manual and see how to convert. Thanks Again for your HELP! Dan (Palaima)

If you have a Windows-based PC, you have the capability to place accented characters in you text now. If so, find a small applet called key map or character map. It's icon looks like a 3-D keyboard key. Open it up, and select the system font set. You will see all 255 characters, including all your favorite accented characters to deal with most languages, including Czech. There are also other useful characters. Open the applet, and click on one of them, and down in the lower right corner you will also see an ALT code, that reads ALT + ####. For example, an accent "e" code is ALT + 0235. or � . Armed with this information you can go to work. I have a cheat sheet sitting in front of me with all the codes next to the character set. You can make one with your word processor. To make an �, just go to your keypad and ensure that your NUM LOCK in ON. Then, in any Windows program, yoy can type one of these special characters by holding down the ALT key then typing the four numbers on the keypad. You must hold down the ALT key while typing the 4 numbers. And, yes, there are other ways of doing this, but this works for me because it permits the most options including special characters like � � and �. Gary

On Sat, 26 Apr 1997, Dan Palaimo wrote: > Does anyone know where I might be able to download Fonts so I can write > Lithuanian words showing the right pronunciations? You might check out the Usenet group comp.fonts - there is a lot of activity over there, and quite a few experts answering questions and posting URLs. Which diacritical marks are needed in Lithuanian? Wordperfect versions all the way back to 5.1 have multilanguage codes without using a special keyboard. I am able to get a hachek for Slovak out of good old WP 5.1+ for DOS and out of MS Word if it is running under Windows 95. Margaret Sheremata

John wrote: > > Hi: > > I am doing family research on the names listed in the header. > > If anyone has any previous information on these families, please email > me for coordinating our research. > > thanks > > John Vitovsky William Bugosh is doing research on the Kohut family from E. Slovakia. His E-Mail is billb@wwnet.com. In the church records of Kosicky Klecenov (Gr Catholic) E. of Bidovce there is a marriage of a Mihaly Kohut to a Zsofia Forgacs Jul 30, 1888. They were both twenyu five years old. Mihaly came from R. Ruszka and the bride from Nadaska. I believe R. Ruszka is now called Ruskov and the other, Trstany- both in yhr area of the church. John Bugosh Vrnice, FL

I am looking for Deak, Bodrog, Kopej from Rankin and Braddock,Pa do you have any information from St Michael Orthodox catholic church.

Hello I've just had my first experience trying to learn more about distant relatives by requesting their birth certificates from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Dept. of Health. My efforts were unsuccessful (and frustrating!) because I did not (and still do not) know their precise dates of birth. After this disappointing experience, it makes me wonder if there is really any point in trying the birth certificate route? If I knew all of the information about the person requested on Pennsylvania's "Application For ... Copy Of Birth Or Death Record", I don't see why I would want the birth certificate. It seems to me that if a governmental unit wanted to facilitate retrieval of vital records, the records would be filed alphabetically, not by "date of event". Has anyone here had any positive experiences via the birth (or death) certificate route? Does anyone know if Pennsylvania's filing system is typical of most other states? I can truly appreciate the value of "protecting a person's privacy" -- but then why pretend (mislead, really) that such vital records are of genealogical value? -- Thomas J. Danicki danickit@concentric.net, Rochester Hills, Mich. 48306 U.S.A. "...you've got that stunned Brian-Wilson-is-a-god look on your face!" - Bruce Johnston, per _Endless Summer Quarterly_

I have noticed on my surname that "Vomacka" becomes "Vomackova" when the gender shifts from male to female. What sort of language rules apply on dropping a letter (vowel only?) as with the "ek" on bs039's examples or just changing the "a" to "ova" Any response would be appreciated as my parents (the first US born generation) are not aware of this.

Does anyone know where I might be able to download Fonts so I can write Lithuanian words showing the right pronunciations? Thanks! Dan (Palaima)

Michoel Ronn <chromelion@JUNO.COM> wrote: >I am interested in hiring someone willling to scan the early B-M-D >marriage records (1830s - 1850s) for Mogilev at an LDS center to look for >records containing ONE particular surname. Please respond with your >hourly rate to CHROMELION@JUNO.COM. > > >Thank You, > >Ron Gordon I have someone who may be willing to do this. If yes, the rate would be $20/hour. Important question: do you know which film number you want looked at?