Thanks to everyone who has provided responses to my query about Birth Certificates for Charles Ray.  I now have the addresses and phone numbers in my wallet and will stop by these places when I get back to San Antonio. I went to the office on Santa Rosa in SA.  I remember standing in line for some lengthy time only to be stopped in the midle of my question and was directed to Austin for results.  I need to return to office on Santa Rosa and ask someone else who might have a minute more to spare before driving to Austin.  Charles W. Ray, Jr.  Great grandson of Charles Ray b-1858 San Antonio --- On Sat, 1/24/09, txbexar-request@rootsweb.com <txbexar-request@rootsweb.com> wrote: From: txbexar-request@rootsweb.com <txbexar-request@rootsweb.com> Subject: TXBEXAR Digest, Vol 4, Issue 9 To: txbexar@rootsweb.com Date: Saturday, January 24, 2009, 2:02 AM Today's Topics: 1. Re: TXBEXAR Digest, Vol 4, Issue 6 *** Birth Records *** (Steve Gibson) 2. Re: TXBEXAR Digest, Vol 4, Issue 6 *** Birth Records *** General Info... (treviawbeverly) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2009 09:11:17 -0600 From: "Steve Gibson" <fox6@att.net> Subject: Re: [TXBEXAR] TXBEXAR Digest, Vol 4, Issue 6 *** Birth Records *** To: "'treviawbeverly'" <treviawbeverly@comcast.net>, <charleswrayjr@prodigy.net>, <txbexar@rootsweb.com> Message-ID: <BEBB6A6DC09F4F0AB1C4C9032FD40F30@Gateway835GM> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I don't think birth certificates existed in 1858, but you can get copies of birth and death certificates from the San Antonio Metro Health department. http://www.sanantonio.gov/health/VitalStats-Main.html -----Original Message----- From: txbexar-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:txbexar-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of treviawbeverly Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 6:42 AM To: charleswrayjr@prodigy.net; txbexar@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [TXBEXAR] TXBEXAR Digest, Vol 4, Issue 6 *** Birth Records *** In addition to my earlier suggestion of RAOGK, you might try the San Antonio Genealogical & Historical Society http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~txsaghs2/ They indicate that they do research. You might also try the San Antonio Public Library http://www.sanantonio.gov/Library/ Scroll to the bottom of the main page for contact .... they may be able to answer your question as to where birth records for 1858 are ---- if there are any! http://www.countyclerk.bexar.landata.com/ Bexar County Clerk's office. Check out the Bexar County Archives - http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~usgenweb/tx/bexar/bextoc.htm They have some later (after 1900) birth records listed. Might as well go a step further for those researching in Bexar Co- http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/local/bexar.html Texas State Archives' microfilm --- these are all available on Interlibrary Loan .... Officially the Texas birth records began in 1903, not fully implemented until ca. 1910. Of course when social security came in, many people filed Delayed Births -- even though born in another state, you will often find they obtained a TX delayed birth certificate. There are, of course, earlier births .... filed in odd places. If Catholic, church records are usually an excellent source. I'm off to the dentist but when I return I'll see if I can come up with anything else. Trevia Wooster Beverly Huston, Texas ----- Original Message ----- From: "CHARLES RAY" <charleswrayjr@prodigy.net> To: <txbexar@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 10:20 PM Subject: Re: [TXBEXAR] TXBEXAR Digest, Vol 4, Issue 6 Michael, Seems to me that this site has left many of us wanting. Like you, I sit here waiting for a response. I don't think researchers go back to the old digests or back to unanswered quetions but I'm not going to overload the site by repeating my request either. I am in Houston near Clayton Library and it's tooms of genealogy information. Likewise, I have looked up answers for others as well. They may have been right here in Houston. I just did it for them and for free. I only asked for directions in San Antonio to the where the Birth Records for 1858 are kept so that I can drive there and look for my Great Grandfather Charles Ray's (b. 1858 in San Antonio) birth certificate. No response! We both know that someone could answer our question very easily. Charles William Ray, Jr. Younger by 86 years 832-328-0649 Houston --- On Wed, 1/21/09, txbexar-request@rootsweb.com <txbexar-request@rootsweb.com> wrote: From: txbexar-request@rootsweb.com <txbexar-request@rootsweb.com> Subject: TXBEXAR Digest, Vol 4, Issue 6 To: txbexar@rootsweb.com Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2009, 2:03 AM Today's Topics: 1. Please, Please, Please, why do I have to beg you people in Bexar County, Texas, to do an obit lookup? (Michael J. Smith) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 04:04:03 -0600 From: "Michael J. Smith" <msmith4@gt.rr.com> Subject: [TXBEXAR] Please, Please, Please, why do I have to beg you people in Bexar County, Texas, to do an obit lookup? To: <TXBEXAR@rootsweb.com> Message-ID: <90A4496E6AB5493FADC28209B77E5307@michael1> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original Hi list, Please, Please, Please, why do I have to beg you people in Bexar County, Texas, to do an obit lookup? I do lookups all the time over here in Jefferson County, Texas for people for FREE. If there is no kind soul in Bexar County that will look up this obit for this poor old man, then ad lest point me to the library or someone that I will PAY to do it. This is the obit: Eldridge Deforest ARNOLD, Jr., Died: March 27, 1993 in Bexar County, Texas. I pray that Jesus will bless you and your family with the desires of your hearts. God bless, Michael J. SMITH 124 South 16th Street Nederland, Texas 77627-5119 409-722-7277 stmichael@gt.rr.com ------------------------------ To contact the TXBEXAR list administrator, send an email to TXBEXAR-admin@rootsweb.com. To post a message to the TXBEXAR mailing list, send an email to TXBEXAR@rootsweb.com. __________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXBEXAR-request@rootsweb.com with the word "unsubscribe" without the quotes in the subject and the body of the email with no additional text. End of TXBEXAR Digest, Vol 4, Issue 6 ************************************* ======================================= Posting of non-genealogical-current events, political opinions, prayers, virus warnings, non-approved solicitations, chain letters, jokes, poems, non-genealogical stories, missing children notices, and flames are not allowed on this list and may be grounds for immediate removal and exclusion from the list. Questions or comments about this policy may be directed to your list administrator, Susan Cearlock Tilleman, at the following address: setilleman@gmail.com . Also remember not to block receiving mail from another list member unless you are subscribed in digest mode. The RootsWeb software automatically removes subscribers from the mailing list who are causing excessive bounces. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXBEXAR-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ======================================= Posting of non-genealogical-current events, political opinions, prayers, virus warnings, non-approved solicitations, chain letters, jokes, poems, non-genealogical stories, missing children notices, and flames are not allowed on this list and may be grounds for immediate removal and exclusion from the list. Questions or comments about this policy may be directed to your list administrator, Susan Cearlock Tilleman, at the following address: setilleman@gmail.com . Also remember not to block receiving mail from another list member unless you are subscribed in digest mode. The RootsWeb software automatically removes subscribers from the mailing list who are causing excessive bounces. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXBEXAR-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2009 11:51:49 -0600 From: "treviawbeverly" <treviawbeverly@comcast.net> Subject: Re: [TXBEXAR] TXBEXAR Digest, Vol 4, Issue 6 *** Birth Records *** General Info... To: <txbexar@rootsweb.com> Message-ID: <AE3311B2824D464E8E829591F52E0611@TreviaBeverlyPC> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Gibson" <fox6@att.net> To: "'treviawbeverly'" <treviawbeverly@comcast.net>; <charleswrayjr@prodigy.net>; <txbexar@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, January 23, 2009 9:11 AM Subject: RE: [TXBEXAR] TXBEXAR Digest, Vol 4, Issue 6 *** Birth Records *** >I don't think birth certificates existed in 1858, but you can get copies of > birth and death certificates from the San Antonio Metro Health department. > > http://www.sanantonio.gov/health/VitalStats-Main.html ___________________ Definitely not many ... See "Early Texas Birth Records 1833-1878" by Alice Duggan Gracy, etc. (1978, Historical Press). Bexar Co and others. Should be available at most good genealogical collections. Many cities/municipalities kept early records: Houston births began July 27, 1899 ... filed with the city's Vital Records Dept. so check the larger cities such as San Antonio, Dallas, Amarillo, etc. to see when their municipal records began and what they have. Another thing to remember is that counties may have historical archives. Harris County does - http://www.hctx.net/recordsmanagement/Archives/ It has been many years since I've had the opportunity to visit but the Bexar County Archives was then in the basement of the courthouse, John Ogden Leal was the archivist. The WPA did a lot of vital statistics (as well as cemetery inventories, etc.... ) Texas WPA Papers, Record Group 69, National Archives, Washington. http://texashistory.unt.edu/browse/collection/TXCI/ Portals of Texas History ... note the two volumes of Inventory for Bexar County. I have these .. unfortunately can't put my hands on them at the moment (stashed behind something in the storage closet, I'm sure). As I recall they were very complete. Again, try your library .. check if available on Interlibrary Loan. Excellent article in the Sept 2008 "Stirpes" (Texas State Genealogical Society) by Robert de Berardinis on "Correcting Myths about Texas Birth and Death Records." Heavy on Houston/Harris Co, none-the-less a good article. Example: "Based on the Texas Constitution of 1869, civil registration of births and deaths was authorized in 1871 and was enacted on May 3, 1873. The act provided that all married couples should register their legitimate children for 10? each. Gracy [book listed above] lists the data included for each child .... " * de Berardinis' article has footnote references. Trevia Wooster Beverly Houston, Texas ------------------------------ To contact the TXBEXAR list administrator, send an email to TXBEXAR-admin@rootsweb.com. To post a message to the TXBEXAR mailing list, send an email to TXBEXAR@rootsweb.com. __________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TXBEXAR-request@rootsweb.com with the word "unsubscribe" without the quotes in the subject and the body of the email with no additional text. End of TXBEXAR Digest, Vol 4, Issue 9 *************************************