This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Lingner, Breedlove, Brack Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/4kB.2ACI/1854.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Tom, You have raised two interesting points that I have encountered before. First, when an adoption is consumated in Texas, the original birth certificate is "canned" so to speak and the surname of the child is changed to reflect the adoptive name on the birth certificate as of the date of birth. Only by court order can the original name be discovered. Second, Several years ago the Smith County County Clerk told me that for reasons she was not sure of, the delayed certificates of birth index or the amended or corrected birth certificates were never forwarded to the BVS in Austin. For grins or whatever I copied twenty names with dates of birth and parents from the delayed filings in the Clerk's office and checked for those names on the list sent to BVS from Smith Co. [Before the lockdown, discussed below] None of them appeared on the BVS list. I have checked for a couple of them on the Texas Birth Index as it now appears and they are not there either. Somewhere in my files I still have the list of twenty and will check again when I locate the list. Back then I talked to some lady with BVS in Austin and she told me in effect "we only have what the counties send us". She had no other explanation why the delayed certificates where not on file in Austin. The local County Clerk had no explanation why the delayed certificates were not forwarded to BVS. Now, of course, since the State has lumped serious genealogists into the same category with identify thieves the County Clerks have essentially locked up the birth and death certificates and thrown away the key. And they give anyone the right to call BVS to get "unbirthed" and remove their name from the published list. Obviously, it is with bitter resentment that I am classified as a potential identify thief. Having practiced law in Smith County and surrounding counties for 40 years as of September 10, 2005, and having worked on my family genealogy for almost as long, needless to say I am more than aggravated that I can't look at birth certificates newer than 75 years old or death certificates newer than 50 years old. I would be more than glad to furnish a bond, mugshot, fingerprints or whatever might be required to be able to access those records. I don't give a hoot about someone else's bank account or credit cards but the powers that be in Austin think otherwise. ! At one time I drafted some proposals to rectify this situation --another item filed away I will locate. In the meantime if you or anyone else on the list have some ideas I would welcome them. A couple of items I might mention. My own birth cerfiticate - which was not delayed - appears in Smith Co but not in the Texas Birth Index nor on the list of Smith Co births forwarded to the BVS although I am listed in the Smith Co birth index in the Clerk's office. Years ago I obtained a certified copy from Smith Co and made any number of inquires of BVS. Not there and they have no explanation. If my name appeared and I wanted it removed that would be easy but otherwise no way it can be added. I can't help but remind myself of that situation every time I search for anyone's birth on the published lists. My sister appears on the BVS records as "Inf daughter of A. D. Kirby" There was a delayed certificate of birth filed in Smith Co when she was about six years old. But along with a thousand or so others, the delayed certificate was never filed with BVS and to this day does not appear in their records nor does it appear in the Smith Co online records. So far I have been unsuccessful in persuading the County Clerk to forward the delayed certificates to the BVS. I may be mistaken but I think it is a fair assumption that delayed certificates on file in the Clerk's office in many, if not all, counties in Texas never found their way to the BVS in Austin. If you know, I would be interested in knowing if this same situation has occurred in other counties. I apologize for being so long winded - just blame in on my several great great grandfathers who were primitive baptist preachers. One other thing...and I'll quit.. A few years ago I contacted Rootsweb and/or Ancestry.com about setting up a message board for posting missing and/or erroneous birth certificate information. They welcomed the idea but I need someone with more expertise with message boards than I have to get it rolling. Any ideas or volunteers? And if I didn't say so, thanks much for your assistance. Rex