>Resent-Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2003 11:49:04 -0600 >X-Original-Sender: lisalynn36@sbcglobal.net Sat Jun 28 11:49:01 2003 >From: "Lisa Rhodes" <lisalynn36@sbcglobal.net> >Old-To: <ZIEGLER-L@rootsweb.com>, <WOMACK-L@rootsweb.com>, > <WOFFORD-L@rootsweb.com>, <WILHELM-L@rootsweb.com>, <WARD-L@rootsweb.com>, > <TXWASHIN-L@rootsweb.com>, <TXTOMGRE-L@rootsweb.com>, > <TXRUNNEL-L@rootsweb.com>, <TXROBERTS-L@rootsweb.com>, > <TXMILAM-L@rootsweb.com>, <TXMCLENN-L@rootsweb.com>, > <TXHARRISON-L@rootsweb.com>, <TXGRIMES-L@rootsweb.com>, > <TXFORTBE-L@rootsweb.com>, <TXFALLS-L@rootsweb.com>, > <TXCONCHO-L@rootsweb.com>, <TXAUSTIN-L@rootsweb.com>, > <TROTTER-L@rootsweb.com>, <THAMES-L@rootsweb.com>, <SWANNER-L@rootsweb.com>, > <SULLIVAN-L@rootsweb.com>, <SHOWS-L@rootsweb.com>, <SHOOK-L@rootsweb.com>, > <ROEDER-L@rootsweb.com>, <PRIGGE-L@rootsweb.com>, <POOLE-L@rootsweb.com>, > <PEARSON-L@rootsweb.com>, <PALADINO-L@rootsweb.com>, > <PAINTER-L@rootsweb.com>, <NICHOLLS-L@rootsweb.com>, > <NEWTON-L@rootsweb.com>, <MESSER-L@rootsweb.com>, <LYON-L@rootsweb.com>, > <LOCKE-L@rootsweb.com>, <LANIER-L@rootsweb.com>, <LAGRONE-L@rootsweb.com>, > <KILGORE-L@rootsweb.com>, <HIGGINBOTHAM-L@rootsweb.com>, > <HATCHER-L@rootsweb.com>, <GILBERT-L@rootsweb.com>, <GERKIN-L@rootsweb.com>, > <EASLEY-L@rootsweb.com>, <EARLY-L@rootsweb.com>, <EARLEY-L@rootsweb.com>, > <DAVIS-L@rootsweb.com>, <CROSSLAND-L@rootsweb.com>, > "CLARY-L@rootsweb.com" <CLARY-L-request@rootsweb.com> >Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2003 13:00:16 -0500 >X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1106 >Subject: [NEWTON-L] Fw: Texas vital records >To: NEWTON-L@rootsweb.com >Resent-From: NEWTON-L@rootsweb.com >Reply-To: NEWTON-L@rootsweb.com >X-Mailing-List: <NEWTON-L@rootsweb.com> archive/latest/2281 >X-Loop: NEWTON-L@rootsweb.com >Resent-Sender: NEWTON-L-request@rootsweb.com >X-AntiVirus: scanned for viruses by AMaViS 0.2.1 (http://amavis.org/) > > > > >This article was in the Houston Chronicle this morning. I thought everyone would be interested. > >Online vital records have a bumpy history >By MIC BARNETTE > >The year 2000 was great for Texas genealogists. > >In June 2000 the Texas Bureau of Vital Statistics placed several statewide vital records indexes on its Web site. Researchers were able to go to the TBVS Web site and access the records at their leisure. The data, however, was awkwardly arranged in separate files that corresponded to the year of the event. Each year had to be searched individually. > >Rootsweb.com, a genealogical research Web site, purchased a set of the Texas vital records data and prepared it for use on its Web site. An enterprising programmer at Rootsweb combined the single-year files and created a search engine that allows users to search all the data files in a fraction of a second. > >Unfortunately, the gains of 2000 were lost when questions of privacy were raised in November 2001 in a California newspaper article. The California governor threatened to sue Rootsweb for having the state's vital records indexes online. Within a week Texas Bureau of Vital Records officials followed California's lead and demanded that Rootsweb unplug the online Texas databases. Rootsweb complied. > >The Texas databases that were online included statewide indexes to marriages 1966-1995, divorces 1968-1997, deaths 1963-1998, general indexes to births 1926-1949 and the summary indexes to births 1950-1995. General indexes, incidentally, list names of parents, while summary indexes do not. > >In Texas, records of marriages and divorces have been maintained on a county level since the days of the Republic of Texas in the 1830s. Counties began reporting this information to the state in 1966 and 1968, respectively. Births and deaths were kept on a statewide basis in 1903. > >Births and deaths 1903-1997 are available on microfilm and microfiche at Clayton Library, 5300 Caroline, and at courthouses across the state. > >Earlier this month, Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed SB 861, which closes birth records for 75 years. This law goes into effect Sept. 1. Currently, birth records are open after 50 years. Death records were not a part of SB 861 and remain available to researchers. Indexes for both births and deaths remain open to researchers. > >There is some good news for those who would like to research Texas vital records indexes without going to a courthouse. Houston genealogist Hugh Adams has taken the vital records indexes formerly online at the Texas Bureau of Vital Statistics Web site and formatted them on 11 CD-ROMs. Each letter of the alphabet on each CD includes data from births 1926-1995, marriages 1996-2000, divorces 1968-2000 and deaths 1964-1998. A demonstration Web site may be viewed at www.tvrview.com/. > >The 11 CDs contain surname data arranged alphabetically. Disk 1 covers surnames beginning with A, D and E; disk 2, B; disk 3, C; disk 4, F and G; disk 5, H and I; disk 6, J-L; disk 7, M; disk 8, N-Q; disk 9, R and T; disk 10, S and X; and disk 11, U-Z. > >The CDs are available from TVRView-H.C. Adams, 12180 Greenspoint Drive, PMB No. 196, Houston, TX 77060-2002. The 11-CD set is $129; individual disks are $15.50. Shipping for the set is $4.95; $2.50 for individual CDs. > > > >Genealogy classes >I will teach an introductory course on conducting family history research. "Roots of Genealogy -- How to Research Your Family Tree" will be held 7-10 p.m. July 8 at Leisure Learning's 2990 Richmond Ave. campus. The following week the class will tour Clayton Library and conduct on-site census research. Registration is $35. Call 713-529-4414; access www.llu.com. > >· Paula Perkins will lead an "Organizing Your Family Research With Family Tree Maker Software" class 9 a.m.-1 p.m. July 10 at Houston Community College's 1681 Cartwright campus in Missouri City. > >Registration is $39. Contact HCC at 281-835-5539. Preregistration is required. > >· I will conduct a "Surfing the Internet for Genealogy" class 9 a.m.-1 p.m. July 9 at Houston Community College's 1681 Cartwright campus. The class will focus on helpful and notable genealogical Web sites on the Internet. > >Registration is $39. Call 281-835-5539. Preregistration is required. > >E-mail Mic Barnette, owner of Barnette's Family Tree Book Co., at mic@barnettesbooks.com. >