On Thu, 18 Jan 1996, Hank Burchard wrote:

> On Thu, 18 Jan 1996, Henry B. Crawford wrote:
>
> > Such records are kept by the county of birth or death, which ever the case
> > might be.  If you know the county, you're on the right track.
>
>        Au contraire. Birth records are kept by states. Contact the New
> York Secretary of State. The birth record should also give the full name,
> age, occupation and place of birth of both father and mother.
>
>         Hank Burchard * [log in to unmask] * Washington DC
>

        In New York State vital statistics are kept by town and city
clerks and by the state Department of Health in Albany. New York(city) and
Buffalo records were kept by the cities, not the state, for some time.
Registration of vital statistics did not begin until the late 1880's.

Laura Lynne Scharer
Jefferson County (NY) Historian