I don't know if the explaination for the change in policy was mentioned on the list yet, but it was brought up on another list I subscribe to. It seems that, post-Sept 11, it was decided that it was too easy to obtain a false identity in NJ because one could get a birth certificate for a deceased child, obtain a SS#, with nothing more than a name and date of birth. I don't see why this would extend to people born before 1900, but it seems that it is an all-or-nothing policy. Judy ===== Judy Jamieson Pisano jupisano@yahoo.com "The Bird Families of New Jersey" <http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~birdnj> __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Great stuff seeking new owners in Yahoo! Auctions! http://auctions.yahoo.com