I received the following from another list. Jim Barrett Bedford,TX parino@flash.net > > > We are making progress in Austin! From > > http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/bvs/registra/index.htm : > > > > As of March 2000, Birth indexes from 1926-1995 and death indexes > > from 1964-1998 are available on the internet (free), microfiche ($) > > or CD-ROM ($$). Birth indexes from 1903-1925 and death indexes from > > 1903-1963 are available on microfiche only. > > > > Indexes for open records years are referred to as general indexes > > and indexes for years which are not yet open to the public are > > called summery indexes. The SUMMARY death index is delayed six > > months, the SUMMARY birth index is delayed 42 months. The time lag > > for the birth index is necessary in order to protect the > > confidentiality of adoptions and paternity determinations. > > > > The Summary Birth Index includes the last, first, and middle name, > > if any, of the registrant, date of birth, county of birth, and sex > > of registrant. The Summary Death Index includes the last, first, > > and middle name, if any, of the decedent, date of death, county of > > death, and sex of registrant. All indexes are sorted in > > alphabetical order by surname within each year. > > > > Birth records do not become OPEN public records until they are > > fifty years old, and death records become OPEN after twenty-five > > years. All indexes are sorted in alphabetical order by surname > > within each year. > > > > The GENERAL BIRTH INDEX includes the last, first, and middle name, > > if any, of the registrant, date of birth, county of birth, and sex > > of registrant, and may also include father's name and mother's > > maiden name. All indexes are sorted in alphabetical order by > > surname within each year. If the record falls into the open record > > category, a general index may be made available for public use > > [later?]. > > > > The GENERAL DEATH INDEX includes the last, first, and middle name, > > if any, of the registrant, date of death, county of death, and sex > > of registrant, and may also include social security number, marital > > status, and the spouse's name. All indexes are sorted in > > alphabetical order by surname within each year. If the record falls > > into the open record category, a general index may be made > > available for public use [later?]. > > > > These are files you can download, some quite large [File size: 9 - > > 13 MB File type: ASCII, tab delimited], but it beats reading > > microfiche at the library. They promise they will put them in HTML > > "soon." > > > > Marriage indexes are available on microfiche or CD-ROM from > > 1966-present and divorce indexes are available from 1968-present. > > They may be available on the internet in the future (depends on > > customer demand). So DEMAND! > > > > The Marriage Index includes the last, first, and middle name, if > > any, the county of issue, the date of marriage, the spouse's name, > > and state file number. The Divorce Index includes the last, first, > > and middle name, if any, the county of issue, the date of divorce, > > the spouse's name, and state file number. > > >