This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/YRB.2ACE/977 Message Board Post: New York State did not start keeping vital statistics until 1883 and even then many people did not comply. Finding something in 1840 probably won't happen. Second, sending the state mandated fee of $11 in the envelope will obligate them to return it with an explanation. Best bet to find birth information is from church records. I tried to find a death certificate for the year of 1883 from the State rather than the town - it didn't exist - but I did find a notation in the records of Holy Name Church.