In a message dated 7/18/2004 9:41:41 AM Eastern Daylight Time, b18627t@catskill.net writes: have *desperate* need for b cert. ca 1896. Are records re 1896 era held in State repository or only in County where b took place Counties should have something, but birth certs might not be avaliable for that time, a 1900 Census should do the trick for you tho. Eliz

Hi Eliz: Thank you so much for your interest & input re my dilemma (& it sure is just that !!!) In as much as my man was b mid-census yrs (1896)& the extra problem of it being *possibly* an out-of- wedlock b plus not knowing the surname the b is entered under (i.e. Mother's - nee; step Father shown on 1900 census or biological Father) *I'm abt lost !! I have been doing family research for 20+ yrs & have never run into such a mystery as this one. Thanks a million for responding to me. Bev