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Archiver > PALACKAW > 1999-10 > 0939068740


From: "The Zadjura's" <>
Subject: Re: Birth/Death records
Date: Mon, 04 Oct 1999 16:25:40 -0400


Hi:

With regard to Pa. birth records (Scranton & Lackawanna County). DOn't hold out a lot of hope for finding
family members even if you find the records. I tried the records at Scranton Library and couldn't find
birth or death records even when I knew the exact date. In the early years there was no requirement that
births and deaths be recorded so only those that occurred in hospitals were usually recorded. For many
immigrants (especially the poor working class ones) who were born or died at home and often without a doctor
present, the only record may be at their local church.. You may be better often trying there first but even
those are often not complete or there is no one to look them up. Good luck

Ed Zadjura

Jim Dolan wrote:

> At 08:25 PM 10/03/1999 -0400, you wrote:
> >Hi again folks....
> >I contacted the Lackawanna County Courthouse in Scranton and was told they
> only have birth/death records from 1894 up to 1905. Although becoming a
> county in 1878, they said that Luzerne County has the records from
> 1878-1894. I called Luzerne County Courthouse and they said they only have
> records 1893 up to 1905.
> >Apparently the 1878-1892 records were destroyed.
> >Does anyone know of a library/or other resource that may have birth/death
> records between 1878-1892, or are these records lost to the ages ? Would
> individual towns where someone was born/died have these records available ?
> >
> >Thanks again !!!
> >
> > Ron & Tammy Ohnmacht
> > Concord, North Carolina
> >Email:
>
> Ron and Tammy,
>
> Birth and death records from 1878 through 1904(or 5) are available, on
> microfilm, at the Scranton Public Library. However, they are far from
> complete records. People were not required to report births and deaths in
> those days and many didn't.
>
> I have had some success in finding ancestors in those records; with more
> luck in the death records than the birth. Also at the library are the
> delayed birth records...these can be a good source. When people got older
> and had to prove their dates of birth for various reasons; military
> service, social security, etc., they had to submit some proof to the county
> as to when they were born. This could include baptism records, affidavits
> from family members, letters from other governing bodies, etc. If you are
> lucky enough to find someone in these records you will get much more
> information than you will in a birth record.
>
> Hope this helps, good luck.
>
> Jim Dolan
>
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