Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Grandmother's Birth Certificate ~ Pennsylvania Vital Records

Awhile ago, I wrote about how to obtain Pennsylvania Vital Records when I wrote about my great-grandfather's death certificate. Pennsylvania death certificates are available 50 years after the death date (so death certificates from 1906 - 1962 are available as of January 1, 2013). Birth certificates are available 105 years after the birth date, and records were kept at the state level starting in 1906. As of January 1, 2013, birth certificates for 1907 were made available, so earlier this year, I requested my maternal grandmother Helen Lysle Hunter's birth certificate.

Grandmother was the youngest of five daughters of Percy Hunter and Marguerite (Lysle) Hunter, who gave each of their daughters Lysle for her middle name:
Five Hunter sisters
Originally shared July 27, 2011
Marion Lysle Hunter (born 1899)
Caroline Lysle Hunter (born 1900)
Mary Lysle Hunter (born 1903)
Margaret Lysle Hunter (born 1905)
Helen Lysle Hunter (born 1907)

Because each of the four oldest were born before 1906, they do not have official birth certificates; in fact, I have paperwork from the Pennsylvania Orphans Court for my great aunt Margaret confirming that there is no birth certificate for her.

Following is my grandmother's birth certificate.


Handwritten entries are in blue. My editorial comments are bracketed.

Place of Birth
County of Allegheny
City of Allegheny
No. 3110 Perrysville Av
Full Name of Child: Helen Lysle Hunter
Sex of Child: Female
Legitimate? Yes
Date of birth: Feby 1, 1907
Father
  Full Name: Percy Earle Hunter
  Residence: 3110 Perrysville Av
  Color: White
  Age at Last Birthday: 33 [Yes, he was born in October 1873.]
  Birthplace: Alleg City [Allegheny City is now the North Side of Pittsburgh.]
  Occupation: Mechanical Engineer [I wrote about Percy's occupation here.]
Mother
  Full Maiden Name: Marguerite L. Hunter [Actually her maiden name was Lysle.]
  Residence: 3110 Perrysville Av
  Color: White
  Age at Last Birthday: 30 [Yes, she was born in August 1876.]
  Birthplace: Allegheny City
  Occupation: House Keeper [And busy mother of four daughters.]
Number of child of this mother: 5
Number of children, of this mother, now living: 5
Certificate of Attending Physician or Midwife
I hereby certify that I attended the birth of this child, and that it occurred on Feby 1, 1907, at 11:20 AM.
(Signature): C. H. Voight
Address: 540 W. North Av [I found Charles H. Voight at 500 North av W in a 1907 city directory.]
Filed: Feby 18, 1907
[Illegible Signature of Registrar]

I didn't learn anything that I didn't already know, but at $3, this is worth having. Now, where are those death certificates I ordered...

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