You may not know this: For those who were born in Jersey City, NJ, your birth certificcate issued by the hospital is no longer valid. You now must go to the State Of NJ with proof of who you are to get a "state issued birth certificate". This is because of the fraud in Jersey City with employees selling them. ( Now that is second hand info, but knowing Jersey City, it is very believable.) My brother was taking a trip to Cancun & was told by the tour company he needed a "state issued bc, not a hospital copy". He lives upstate NY near Albany, not a fun trip to drive all the way to Trenton. He was told this a few days b/4 his trip. He doesn't have a passport. Luckily I live about 45 minutes away, so I went to get it for him. A friend told me about this last year, as she was born in Jersey City. She wanted to file for SS & had to get a "state issued certified copy", as her hospital issued bc wasn't worth the paper it was written on. Since I will be 62 in April & that time is approaching for me, I ordered a state issued certified copy of mine when I went to get my brothers. The cost went to $25.00 each on Jan 1st, up from a few dollars!. If you want a second copy at the time of issuing the first its like $2.00 addt'l. After reading the article about identy theft, it seems it is the employees, the ones with the most access to the records who are the culprits. Just my opinion. Jeanine

If New Jersey prevents access to records and getting a copy of a record for a deceased member of the family, I can't imagine they are going to microfilm records for us to view or have the church come in and microfilm the records. So you will not be able to rely on any information going forward and that would be a hugh hindrance to family history. In my case, my paternal grandparents records were not to be found (and they lived in New Jersey). If I could not rely on getting copies of certificates, I would not be able to do any family history besides my parents. Michelle Chubenko <michelle@chubenko.us> wrote: -------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: A-1390 (Vital Records Bill) Date: Wed, 15 Feb 2006 10:38:30 -0500 From: Joe Klett To: NJ-GSNJ-admin@rootsweb.com Dear List Members: I've been trying to pay attention to the messages sent to this list about A-1390, the vital records bill that has passed the Assembly committee that spawned it and is scheduled to hit the Assembly floor in a few weeks. While I agree that we all need to stay calm, I want to emphasize that the bill as written could have nothing short of a disastrous impact on genealogical research in New Jersey. The bill, though undoubtedly intended to guard information about living persons, does not take into consideration any time period during which the records would be closed. It severely restricts (i.e., closes to genealogists) all records in any registration of vital statistic in New Jersey. This includes, at the very least, all records in the State Bureau of Vital Statistics (which has records back to 1878), the local registrars (many of which have records back to 1848), and county clerks' offices (which have marriage records back to 1795). The bill could also be understood to close vital records already in the State Archives (back to the colonial period), and would certainly apply to the 1878-1923 births and 1878-1940 marriages and deaths available on film at the State Archives. It could also potentially be applied to the 1848-1878 state records and 1795+ county marriage records already publicly available on microfilm at the State Archives and through the LDS Family History Library. If New Jersey law closes them, they will be closed whether they have been filmed and made freely available to public research previously or not. As a government official, I am not in the habit of getting the public riled up for no good reason. But I believe this bill is extremely misguided. It is an attempt to swat a fly with an atomic bomb. I hope any thoughts "that we'll always have microfilm," and "people will find a way around these laws" will be dismissed in favor of voicing your concern to the legislative powers that be, whatever those concerns might be. I hope you will also understand that uninformed legislators can and do pass legislation that has ramifications far beyond their intended purpose. Various record groups have already been impacted along these line, such as the now-closed historical veterans' registrations filed at the county level, because no time period was considered after which there is a legitimate research use for the information. It is an inherent right of the people to access information collected by a free government when disclosure of that information does not jeopardize security or the privacy of living persons. I believe it is our civic responsibility as Americans and New Jerseyans, whether conservative or liberal in our politics, to make sure laws are enacted responsibly and for good reason. Moreover, as the persons who most understand the inherent value of family history to our children and grandchildren, we as genealogists and historians have not only a vested interest but also a social duty, so to speak, in fostering this aspect of understanding and celebration of our culture and heritage. If you believe your years of researching have value, you will want to help protect access to this information. A-1390 goes so far as making it illegal to share copies of vital records (regardless of their date). That means you, as a genealogist sending a cousin a copy of your ancestor's death certificate, would be subject to legal prosecution. Are you getting the picture? GSNJ has taken the lead in the effort to ensure reasonable access provisions to historical vital records, as measures are being implemented in New Jersey to protect information relating to living persons. I hope you will all support this effort and do what you can. Hopefully, within state government, the State Archives' objections to this proposed law will have some influence. But when something is proposed in the name of "homeland security," the battle is inherently up-hill when the defense is in the name of archival research--even if the crux of the matter is open access to government information that no longer impacts national security or identity theft issues. Please do not underestimate the importance of constituent contacts to legislators. Civil servants (sometimes called bureaucrats!) do not elect officials. Voters do. Your voices can do much more than mine. With best regards, Joseph R. Klett P.S. Please note that this message is offered from me personally, as a nearly lifelong genealogist and a vice-president of GSNJ, not as an official message in my capacity as Chief of the New Jersey State Archives. ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== Visit our Collections Guide: http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/collectionguide.html ============================== View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find marriage announcements and more. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx Terry Smith Administrative Assistant Gateway Foundation 720 Olive St., Ste 1977 St. Louis, MO 63101 314-241-3347 314-241-3559 (Fax)

I keep watch on Paterson, having been born and raised there. A month or two after 9/11 they found a middle eastern man had been making fake documents. Believe it or not, he got almost no jail time. I think that was when they created identity requirements. Now they have to change the laws and prosecute forgers and identity thieves easier and give them more stringent punishement - fines as well as jail time. Take all assets as they do others who push drugs. Thanks for the info. Ann Marie

HI TERRI I AGREE WITH YOU COMPLETELY! Ann Marie

Your comments are good and maybe that is what you should write to them! Terri <taire@webtv.net> wrote: First, let me say Yes -- we must stay calm. And let me also say Yes -- we must protect ourselves. Having said that, now I say we also must be watchful of what the gov't wants to take away from us. To make the vitals unobtainable and/or punishable for retrieving goes, in my opinion, way too far. And not just genealogically. We all would actually live without knowing our genealogies, but as stated in previous messages -- this will concern anything historical -- any future books, biographies, family histories and the like. No more books on the major events of our history. What's the point of writing, say, about a Civil War soldier -- it might go something like this -- there was this man, named John Doe. I can't tell you where or when he was born, died, married, any property he owned, any will he left - but, golly, he may be your John Doe!!! As for why someone might want Gary's Aunt Tillie's info -- I'm not totally informed on this - probably 'cause I don't know how to do it -- but folks of a lawless nature regularly scan SS for deceased #'s and take them to use. I don't know how it works - Thank Heavens!!!! The "systems" in place are not as reliable as we'd wish -- frauds slip thru somehow. We're simply asking for some changes in the wording of this Bill and maybe you'll have to include a picture ID and/or proof of your relationship to the person in question - but that's okay - right?? And, lastly -- how much are we going to allow to happen to our rights without finally taking a stand. We all know there's things going on just now many of us don't agree with but we don't do anything about it. 'Silence implies consent" folks and those three words will hold up in a court of law!! Please keep well all -- Terri ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== New Jersey Family Bible Records Submission Request: http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/bibletranscript.html ============================== New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your ancestors at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. Learn more: http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429 Terry Smith Administrative Assistant Gateway Foundation 720 Olive St., Ste 1977 St. Louis, MO 63101 314-241-3347 314-241-3559 (Fax)

Paterson, New Jersey requires that now. Relation to the deceased and your drivers license. Terri <taire@webtv.net> wrote: First, let me say Yes -- we must stay calm. And let me also say Yes -- we must protect ourselves. Having said that, now I say we also must be watchful of what the gov't wants to take away from us. To make the vitals unobtainable and/or punishable for retrieving goes, in my opinion, way too far. And not just genealogically. We all would actually live without knowing our genealogies, but as stated in previous messages -- this will concern anything historical -- any future books, biographies, family histories and the like. No more books on the major events of our history. What's the point of writing, say, about a Civil War soldier -- it might go something like this -- there was this man, named John Doe. I can't tell you where or when he was born, died, married, any property he owned, any will he left - but, golly, he may be your John Doe!!! As for why someone might want Gary's Aunt Tillie's info -- I'm not totally informed on this - probably 'cause I don't know how to do it -- but folks of a lawless nature regularly scan SS for deceased #'s and take them to use. I don't know how it works - Thank Heavens!!!! The "systems" in place are not as reliable as we'd wish -- frauds slip thru somehow. We're simply asking for some changes in the wording of this Bill and maybe you'll have to include a picture ID and/or proof of your relationship to the person in question - but that's okay - right?? And, lastly -- how much are we going to allow to happen to our rights without finally taking a stand. We all know there's things going on just now many of us don't agree with but we don't do anything about it. 'Silence implies consent" folks and those three words will hold up in a court of law!! Please keep well all -- Terri ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== New Jersey Family Bible Records Submission Request: http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/bibletranscript.html ============================== New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your ancestors at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. Learn more: http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429 Terry Smith Administrative Assistant Gateway Foundation 720 Olive St., Ste 1977 St. Louis, MO 63101 314-241-3347 314-241-3559 (Fax)

First, let me say Yes -- we must stay calm. And let me also say Yes -- we must protect ourselves. Having said that, now I say we also must be watchful of what the gov't wants to take away from us. To make the vitals unobtainable and/or punishable for retrieving goes, in my opinion, way too far. And not just genealogically. We all would actually live without knowing our genealogies, but as stated in previous messages -- this will concern anything historical -- any future books, biographies, family histories and the like. No more books on the major events of our history. What's the point of writing, say, about a Civil War soldier -- it might go something like this -- there was this man, named John Doe. I can't tell you where or when he was born, died, married, any property he owned, any will he left - but, golly, he may be your John Doe!!! As for why someone might want Gary's Aunt Tillie's info -- I'm not totally informed on this - probably 'cause I don't know how to do it -- but folks of a lawless nature regularly scan SS for deceased #'s and take them to use. I don't know how it works - Thank Heavens!!!! The "systems" in place are not as reliable as we'd wish -- frauds slip thru somehow. We're simply asking for some changes in the wording of this Bill and maybe you'll have to include a picture ID and/or proof of your relationship to the person in question - but that's okay - right?? And, lastly -- how much are we going to allow to happen to our rights without finally taking a stand. We all know there's things going on just now many of us don't agree with but we don't do anything about it. 'Silence implies consent" folks and those three words will hold up in a court of law!! Please keep well all -- Terri

Hi Maryann Clark Church records, cemetery records, are good sources. I intend to make a trip to Allentown, NJ to see if the Methodist cemetery has more records for Phoebe Hammel Leming. Thanks Ann Marie

Hi Kathy When you find out how, let me know. I am outraged. I am a new searcher, and have a way to go. If you or anyone has a clue about Phoebe Hammel Leming of Allentown, NJ, circa 1870, please let me know. She is our great, great, grandmother, and we have no records of antecedents.She married George V. Leming, had a son Walter, our great grandfather. Now, what happens when I am stumped with vitals? Thanks for the encouragement. Ann Marie

Ann Marie, You are very welcome. Maryann Bracca@aol.com wrote: Hi Maryann Clark Church records, cemetery records, are good sources. I intend to make a trip to Allentown, NJ to see if the Methodist cemetery has more records for Phoebe Hammel Leming. Thanks Ann Marie ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== Save the Date!!! Save the Date!!! Save the Date!!! GSNJ 2006 Spring Conference -- Saturday, June 3rd ============================== Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx --------------------------------- Relax. Yahoo! Mail virus scanning helps detect nasty viruses!

Thanks so much. "Remember me in the family tree, my name, my days, my strife; then I'll ride upon the wings of time and live an endless life." Researching: TOMLINSON - Staffordshire - Whitmore - Seabridge - Trent Vale - Burslem - Henley BEARDMORE - Staffordshire - Trent Vale - Burslem LEIGH - Leicester - Thingstone - Burslem LINDOP/LINDROP- Staffordshire - Burslem JACKSON - Cheshire - Knutsford - Burton upon Trent DAVIES/DAVIS - Wales

Two ways to contact your NJ Legislators via email: #1 - Municipality (Choose your Town) URL: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/municipalities.asp This will bring you to the webpage for your official District. *Click on the District ##. You will be brought to a webpage listing your State Senator and two Assembly members. *Click on each name then choose on the right hand side ELECTRONIC MAIL: Contact Your Legislator(s). *The next screen will give you the opportunity to email all three legislators in your district. Be sure to "check-off" the appropriate boxes. *Complete the Electronic Correspondence to your State Representative webpage form. *Click SUBMIT EMAIL. #2 - Alphabetical Listing (Senators and Assembly members) URL: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/abcroster.asp This will bring you to the webpage listing of NJ State Senators and Assembly members. *Scroll down to find your local legislators. *Click on each name then choose on the right hand side ELECTRONIC MAIL: Contact Your Legislator(s). *The next screen will give you the opportunity to email all three legislators in your district. Be sure to "check-off" the appropriate boxes. *Complete the Electronic Correspondence to your State Representative webpage form. *Click SUBMIT EMAIL. Hope this helps!! -- Michelle Tucker Chubenko GSNJ Trustee & Webmaster NJ-GSNJ Mailing List Moderator

I am trying to send an email about the vital records problem and I keep being told the address is too long. I am using www.njleg.state.nj.us Is there another address?? Faith Ann

Please help me understand why 'terrorists' would want to either know about my aunt Tillie or steal her identity. I think I may have seen Chicken Little run by the other day, yelling something or other. ----- Original Message ----- From: "KEIsleib" <isleib301@msn.com> To: <NJ-GSNJ-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, February 14, 2006 7:18 AM Subject: [GSNJ] We must calm ourselves > If this law goes into effect, it will be because we all elected the representatives to do their best to protect the good of all and not just a few. > > We as a people of greatness will find a way around all these laws sooner or later. > > As someone in the group said, the terrorists' will and have found other ways to get information from other sources than the ones that are being mentioned in this act. > > Hopefully everyone will also be as smart and find other ways to get this information. > > Kathy > > > ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== > Visit our Collections Guide: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/collectionguide.html > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > >

If this law goes into effect, it will be because we all elected the representatives to do their best to protect the good of all and not just a few. We as a people of greatness will find a way around all these laws sooner or later. As someone in the group said, the terrorists' will and have found other ways to get information from other sources than the ones that are being mentioned in this act. Hopefully everyone will also be as smart and find other ways to get this information. Kathy

Hello all, If this bill does happen to go through remember we still have micro film to search for information. Most of the information I have found on my family is church records that have been recorded on film. If you know the religeon of the family and the town in NJ they lived in you can order these films from the LDS family history center. Maryann Clark AnnWicki@aol.com wrote: Corzine,Governor Category: Uncategorized Email Other E-Mail: _www.state.nj.us/governor/govmail.html_ (http://www.state.nj.us/governor/govmail.html) In a message dated 2/13/2006 6:01:54 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, NAAHKITTY@aol.com writes: Does anyone have an actual email address for the Governor? I have tried numerous times to send a message thru the website previously posted. Even though my message is long at 8,601 characters. It is below the 10,000 limit they set. I keep getting an error message stating the message is longer than the allowed limit. Thanks Laurie ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== GSNJ Home Page: http://www.gsnj.org ============================== Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx George Bernard Shaw If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance. ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== GSNJ Newsletter: http://www.rootsweb.com/~njgsnj/newsletter.html ============================== Census images 1901, 1891, 1881 and 1871, plus so much more. Ancestry.com's United Kingdom & Ireland Collection. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13968/rd.ashx --------------------------------- Yahoo! Mail Use Photomail to share photos without annoying attachments.

----- Original Message ----- From: Dr. Robert L. Rafford To: jmatt413@comcast.net Sent: Monday, February 13, 2006 4:10 PM Subject: Re: request for copying Identity Theft Report Hello, Yes, please, send a copy and make as many copies as you need. You have my full permission to use the article in any way necessary. The link for the updated report is http://www.rootsweb.com/~ctpgc/IDTheft.html. Genially, Bob Rafford -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Robert L. Rafford Northeast Professional Genealogy 57 Clear View Knoll Middlebury, CT 06762-2507 Office: 203-758-9798 Cell: 203-206-4717 robraff@adelphia.net http://www.FamilyTreeDoctor.com 32 Years of Genealogical Research Experience ----- Original Message ----- From: jmatt413@comcast.net To: robraff@adelphia.net Sent: Monday, February 13, 2006 10:02 AM Subject: request for copying Identity Theft Report I would like to send a copy of your report to our Governor Corzine of NJ. As you are probably aware, NJ is trying to cut off Vital Records from the public & genealogists. Thank you. Jeanine Matthews NJ

HI JOAN THERE IS SUCH A GENEROSITY OF HELP FROM OTHER SEARCHERS! Thank you so much. The idea that so many doors will be closed to me before I have all the information I want is heartwrenching. How much of our freedom are those, who threaten our country,going to take from us? Sincerely, Ann Marie

Our greatest threat may be from within, so be alert. ----- Original Message ----- From: <Bracca@aol.com> To: <NJ-GSNJ-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, February 13, 2006 7:36 PM Subject: Re: [GSNJ] NJ Vitals > HI JOAN > > THERE IS SUCH A GENEROSITY OF HELP FROM OTHER SEARCHERS! Thank you so much. > > The idea that so many doors will be closed to me before I have all the > information I want is heartwrenching. How much of our freedom are those, who > threaten our country,going to take from us? > > Sincerely, > Ann Marie > > > > ==== NJ-GSNJ Mailing List ==== > Save the Date!!! Save the Date!!! Save the Date!!! > GSNJ 2006 Spring Conference -- Saturday, June 3rd > > ============================== > View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find > marriage announcements and more. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx > >

thanks