My deepest thanks to Mary Hatton and Suzanne Shepherd for the following: As explained by Mary Hatton: "Kentucky started keeping birth and death records in 1852, stopped in 1862, started again in 1874, but didn't get serious about it until 1 January 1911. Before that date, births and deaths were recorded at the county level and copies were forwarded to the state once a year. Surviving birth records are mostly for the years 1852-1861, 1874-1879 and 1900-1910. Because of official indifference and neglect, no records are extant for many of the years before 1911. People lacking official certificates could file delayed birth certificates with the state. This became common starting around 1940 due to the requirements of Social Security and military service. According to Roseann Hogan, "Kentuckians have filed over a half-million of these delayed certificates... Social Security, for a time, accepted completed certificates that were not filed with the Department of Vital Statistics in Frankfort. Therefore, it is possible, that even if no official certificate can be found in Frankfort, a certificate may have been filed with Social Security or other government agencies." (Kentucky Ancestry, page 79) Delayed birth certificates contain name, date of birth, place of birth, sex, race, parents' names, ages, etc. similar to regular birth certificates. Plus two older witnesses, one related one unrelated. In Kentucky, the Department of Vital Statistics has most of the delayed birth certificates. There is an index on microfiche which can only be consulted at the Department. So far I have been unable to acquire a copy. The Kentucky Historical Society also has 45 rolls of microfilmed delayed birth certificates. According to Ms. Hogan KHS also has an index (I haven't seen this one). My impression, gathered from searching for Owsley County birth records, is that there is no single index to all the delayed birth certificates and that the KHS rolls are not included in the VS microfiche. I have no idea what Social Security has done with their certificates. This book is based on the computerized index from the Kentucky Health Data Branch. None of these 45,000 entries seem to be in the KHS rolls or the VS microfiche?!? This index has name, date of birth, county, mother's maiden name, volume & certificate number. Copies of certificates may be ordered from the Department of Vital Statistics, 275 Main St., Frankfort KY 40601. Cost is $9 each." Now - from Sandi: I am going to tackle posting all of these names with related information on the KYRESEARCH list. I have not yet decided if I'll do them in straight alphabetical order or alphabetically by county. It will take a long time and I might intersperse these with other researching tips. If you have not yet subscribed to KYRESEARCH you might like to. No charge of course. To subscribe send an email to KYRESEARCH-REQUEST@rootsweb.com. Just put the word subscribe in the subject line and in the body of the email as usual - nothing else. I post once a week (normally Thursday). The list does not take queries so this is the only post you will receive weekly. I am thrilled to pass on this information to you. There are surnames on this list that I know many of you are researching. Sandi SCKY Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index?list=south-central-kentucky Barren Co Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index?list=kybarren Sandi's Website: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/ Sandi's Puzzlers: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~gensoup/gorin/puz.html