Regarding Nancy's inquiry below, I recently sent for a 1900 Death Cert. from the town of N. Hempstead. In reply I received a "Transcript" with less information on it than I provided for them to do their search. The only thing I learned was the parents first name. It contained no address of residence, no informant name etc. Would I gain by writing to NYS? In a message dated 2/1/2003 4:35:44 AM Eastern Standard Time, [email protected] writes: > I have been considering submitting requests for various vital records, for > genealogical purposes, so I have been looking at various town websites. > > I find if you click on the icon for birth/death/marriage records, a lot of > the Town VR sites are re-directing you to the State Department of Health. > > It is as if the town is saying, without actually saying the words, " don't > ask us, go the the state". It is too bad the State takes so long to > process > your request. > > My guess is most town offices are really busy and find requests for > genealogical purposes more of a nuisance. Particularly when we usually > can't > even give them an exact date. It is too bad each town couldn't authorize a > > town volunteer who was interested in genealogy to be the official record > searcher for this type of thing. > > Nancy