Closed or open record states

[timmy tiger]

Okay, I've been researching for many years and I've come across this as a problem sometimes.

The open record states are awesome 'cause you can just call up and get that info, many times, right over the phone with no problem. I love working in the open record states.

But now closed record states can be a bear to do research in especially if you are doing it for someone else.
With a closed record state you have to be a direct line descendant of the person you are looking for and to get a copy of their birth or death cert you, usually, have to fill out an application and send it in wth the money and a copy of your valid ID.

At one time you couldn't get a copy of another person's birth cert for up to 100 years after their birth in Maryland, and you couldn't get a death cert for up to 50 years after their death. That was the hardest state I had tried working in, but I was able to find some.LOL This might have changed now with all the push from people doing their family research. But a few years ago this was the case.

So:

What is the hardest state that you've tried looking in? Why?

What's the easiest you've looked in?

Which state have you found to have the best or more complete records available to a person?

[ntvinh986]

Okay, I've been researching for many years and I've come across this as a problem sometimes.

The open record states are awesome 'cause you can just call up and get that info, many times, right over the phone with no problem. I love working in the open record states.

But now closed record states can be a bear to do research in especially if you are doing it for someone else.
With a closed record state you have to be a direct line descendant of the person you are looking for and to get a copy of their birth or death cert you, usually, have to fill out an application and send it in wth the money and a copy of your valid ID.

At one time you couldn't get a copy of another person's birth cert for up to 100 years after their birth in Maryland, and you couldn't get a death cert for up to 50 years after their death. That was the hardest state I had tried working in, but I was able to find some.LOL This might have changed now with all the push from people doing their family research. But a few years ago this was the case.

So:

What is the hardest state that you've tried looking in? Why?

What's the easiest you've looked in?

Which state have you found to have the best or more complete records available to a person?

Hi guys, Im a newbie. Nice to join this forum.

[LaughingWaterWI]

Okay, I've been researching for many years and I've come across this as a problem sometimes.

The open record states are awesome 'cause you can just call up and get that info, many times, right over the phone with no problem. I love working in the open record states.

But now closed record states can be a bear to do research in especially if you are doing it for someone else.
With a closed record state you have to be a direct line descendant of the person you are looking for and to get a copy of their birth or death cert you, usually, have to fill out an application and send it in wth the money and a copy of your valid ID.

At one time you couldn't get a copy of another person's birth cert for up to 100 years after their birth in Maryland, and you couldn't get a death cert for up to 50 years after their death. That was the hardest state I had tried working in, but I was able to find some.LOL This might have changed now with all the push from people doing their family research. But a few years ago this was the case.

So:

What is the hardest state that you've tried looking in? Why?

What's the easiest you've looked in?

Which state have you found to have the best or more complete records available to a person?

I wish it was that easy.... I have tryed getting mission school records and they are really tight with the information.. it's like they are hiding something..Just like death records I cant find where my great great grandfather is burried.. I feel our records should not be that big of a chore to get... Conversion of names is another problem when they stared giving out names they often never listed the native name that the person once had that is frustrating .. I have been going in circles trying to trace my great great grandma down I get just so close and it's as if something happened that the gov didnt want anyone to know the circumstances. I know that cooperation with the indian agents was a big part in a lot of this .. kids were being snatched right an left because of living conditions and death due to epidemics.. I am realted to Waubojiig
and for some reason not much can even be found on him.....

[wyo_rose]

Sherman Indian School in CA is charging me $15 for info on my grandmother that went there. I'm going to get it cuz it sounds very interesting, but this all came about because I wanted to send THEM some pictures of the school back in the day that my gma took.

[timmy tiger]

I wish it was that easy.... I have tryed getting mission school records and they are really tight with the information.. it's like they are hiding something..Just like death records I cant find where my great great grandfather is burried.. I feel our records should not be that big of a chore to get... Conversion of names is another problem when they stared giving out names they often never listed the native name that the person once had that is frustrating .. I have been going in circles trying to trace my great great grandma down I get just so close and it's as if something happened that the gov didnt want anyone to know the circumstances. I know that cooperation with the indian agents was a big part in a lot of this .. kids were being snatched right an left because of living conditions and death due to epidemics.. I am realted to Waubojiig
and for some reason not much can even be found on him.....

If he died after 1900 then where he's buried should be on his death cert. If he died before then you could try to see if there was a church involved or start checking the cemeteries in the county where he died. If he was enrolled through a tribe, they might have the info for you.

Okay, I'm not familiar with the name that you list as a relation. I would check with the tribe for information on him and who his children and descendants were, they could probably help you out.

[timmy tiger]

Sherman Indian School in CA is charging me $15 for info on my grandmother that went there. I'm going to get it cuz it sounds very interesting, but this all came about because I wanted to send THEM some pictures of the school back in the day that my gma took.

Wyo Rose, that's wonderful and very exciting. I know that some of the old school records are really interesting, I've seen a few of them here and there. And that's really not a bad price.

Congratulations on getting those records.

[wyo_rose]

I'm so excited I paid for another month of ancestry.com!

[Harland Jones]

I've had pretty good luck here in Oklahoma finding records.Well at least from 1930's on.Before that time,you have to talk to elders,members of the tribe and anyone else you think might be able to help you.(Before the 1930's the records are sketchy at best.You'll just have to look.)

Birth certificates now thats a different story.S o many at that time did not have birth certificates.At least in our family.I have been looking for decades with not a lot of info.I have not given up though.

Arkansas-they are sometimes difficult to deal with
California-they are a little pricey but they do deliver if they have the record your looking for.
Texas-they've given me the run around.Said they lost my letter twice.They prolly don't like Okies. HA HA !!!

Haven't dealt with any other states lately.Good Luck on all your searches.
I've sometimes in person and gone down to Vital Statistics and ask for DeathCertificates of so and so.Pay five dollars and presto they hand me a DeathCertificate (copy of the original) I tell them I'm searching for family.No showing of ID or anything. Now thats scary.Have a good one.

Also remember, a person or persons life means more to a family than just a mere Death Certificate.Yes it is good to have.Yes it is an excellent record source but also keep records of what that person was like his or her personality,quirks,habits perhaps the good ones and how they affected you.If you were close to them etc.Enjoy !!

[LaughingWaterWI]

Waubojiig aka White Fisher

I don't think the church records would have any of his records. I have been to many forums and there are discrepencys but thanks anyway. I have a mixed bloodline it's Cree, Assiniboine, Dakota, and Ojibwe and French lol. Back in the early exploration times there wasn't that much documentaion..
I;m talking 1670's but what I do know is there are family's working on this but it's a real frustrating road. It has lots of history to research but hey I find a lot of good stuff in google books you just enter a surname and search under books or any other subject for that matter ... have fun and Migwitch

[timmy tiger]

I've had pretty good luck here in Oklahoma finding records.Well at least from 1930's on.Before that time,you have to talk to elders,members of the tribe and anyone else you think might be able to help you.(Before the 1930's the records are sketchy at best.You'll just have to look.)

Birth certificates now thats a different story.S o many at that time did not have birth certificates.At least in our family.I have been looking for decades with not a lot of info.I have not given up though.

Arkansas-they are sometimes difficult to deal with
California-they are a little pricey but they do deliver if they have the record your looking for.
Texas-they've given me the run around.Said they lost my letter twice.They prolly don't like Okies. HA HA !!!

Haven't dealt with any other states lately.Good Luck on all your searches.
I've sometimes in person and gone down to Vital Statistics and ask for DeathCertificates of so and so.Pay five dollars and presto they hand me a DeathCertificate (copy of the original) I tell them I'm searching for family.No showing of ID or anything. Now thats scary.Have a good one.

Also remember, a person or persons life means more to a family than just a mere Death Certificate.Yes it is good to have.Yes it is an excellent record source but also keep records of what that person was like his or her personality,quirks,habits perhaps the good ones and how they affected you.If you were close to them etc.Enjoy !!

Well, that's awesome Harland.

I was working with a friend of mine who's family is from OK and it was her family records that we were trying to get and she did have to send in a picture copy of her ID and it cost her more to get the records then it did you and she had to fill out a request form since she didn't live in the state at that time. We did get them and I've found records in OK back to 1908 and a few before then, but really not all that many but a few.

I was there a few months ago visiting and we didn't get down to the records area. I'm due to visit again next year, maybe we can take a trip there and get some more.

But OK is a Closed Record state and so is AZ. I'm not sure about TX, I've done some searching there, but not really all that much so far.LOL

[Harland Jones]

Well, that's awesome Harland.

I was working with a friend of mine who's family is from OK and it was her family records that we were trying to get and she did have to send in a picture copy of her ID and it cost her more to get the records then it did you and she had to fill out a request form since she didn't live in the state at that time. We did get them and I've found records in OK back to 1908 and a few before then, but really not all that many but a few.

I was there a few months ago visiting and we didn't get down to the records area. I'm due to visit again next year, maybe we can take a trip there and get some more.

But OK is a Closed Record state and so is AZ. I'm not sure about TX, I've done some searching there, but not really all that much so far.LOL

Glad to hear from you, Ms T Tiger. If I get any more info I will keep you posted from time to time.Hj

[timmy tiger]

Thanks Harland, that sounds good. I never know when I'll run into someone who's looking for info from another state and it helps to compare with each other what we've all had to do to get where we are going.LOL

[Harland Jones]

Thanks Harland, that sounds good. I never know when I'll run into someone who's looking for info from another state and it helps to compare with each other what we've all had to do to get where we are going.LOL

Yes, TTiger that is so true.I know sometimes the process changes or more requirements are needed but perhaps if we can update what we have to go through, it will make it easier for someone else.Thanks.

[timmy tiger]

Had some really great news earlier this week.

One of the closed record state's that I've dealt with before is PA. They are really hard, many times, to get any kind of record from there. Even when someone themself is born there and trying to get their own birth cert, they've given them a hard time about it.

Well that state has now opened their Vital records to the public. It says right on their state recording that if you are looking for a vital record for Genealogy purposes that you don't have to be direct line to obtain them. WHOO HOO That's new and it's awesome, really. Before you had to fill out an application and send in a copy of your drivers license to get it and now you do have to fill out the application, the rest I don't know for sure about, yet. But the vital recs are open to the public now for Genealogy purposes.

I hope that more states will do this now.

[StereoTypicalHarley]

This isn't really about ancestry persay, but we've been looking for my grandfather for a long time (my dad never knew him) we finaly found him (he's dead) but now we can't hardly get any records on him because the good ol' state of Arizona won't cough 'em up.

So I say Arizona is one of the hardest to get any kind of records out of.