Hi Elizabeth, I believe that birth and death records began in Ashe County in 1913. I have found a "delayed" birth certificate from 1888 (based on bible records, issued in the 1940's) among their birth records.The earliest references to birth dates I have found were on the death records, dating back to the 1840's. So, the courthouse is limited in that respect. I have obtained ther birth records in Ashe County from bible records, cemetery records, church records, other researchers, and from the various family history publications in Ashe County. - Dave RE: On 16-Oct-98, Elizabeth Andersen wrote: >I am new to this list. Right now I'm researching the name THRONEBURG or >THORNBURGH. My great grandfather Marcus M. Throneburg (this is the way >he spelled his name on his Civil War records but was listed as >Thornburgh) was born in Jeffersen,Ashe Co.,NC IN 1838.Can anyone tell me >if they issued birth certificates for that time period. I would like to >have some proof of his birth. >Elizabeth Andersen ====================================================================== Dave Hamm Novi, Michigan email: [email protected] URL: http://www.oeonline.com/~odon/HamCountry/HAMCountry.html ======================================================================