I don't believe it was required to register births till the early 1900s, so there would be no guarantee that it would actually be recorded anywhere...and, no guarantee, either, that the father was named Puffenbarger...the child might well have been illegitimate (and, unfortunately, too young to have appeared in the 1870 census in any household) . Sandra > Here is something I found in the 1880 census . Maybe this will help you. > > 1880 WV Lewis Co Freemans Creek tsp > McCluster Samual 43 farming WV WV WV > McCluster Mary Ann 42 wife VA VA VA > Rhimer Franklin 17 adopted school teacher WV WV WV > Puffenbarger S E female 6 adopted WV WV WV > McCluster Franklin 75 father farming WV IRE SCOT > > 1900 KS Decatur Oberlin > McCluster Samuel head Apr 1837 63 m 42 yrs VA VA VA > " Mary A wife Feb 1835 65 m 42 yrs 0 born VA VA VA > Moffet Guy adopte so Nov 1881 18 VA VA VA > > Since it looks like the children kept their original surnames, wouldn't > their birth records be listed in the birth index for VA or WV where Sarah > Elizabeth Puffenbarger was born listing her parents?