In an extreme example of the perils of letting household filing pile up, I found my grandfather’s birth record over the weekend.
Over the last few years, I’d put some effort into figuring where he was born. It was mysterious to me because the census records said he was born in Oregon, yet his residence was always Washington. My father, his son, had no recollection of any family history in Oregon. Two years ago, I blogged about it when I discovered a birth announcement in a Portland paper. At that time I said I had written away to the state archives for a copy of the birth certificate. Alas, I received a letter from the Oregon Health Authority saying that no birth record was found.
Fast forward to October 2015. I decided to stop ignoring a pile of household filing that had been sitting on top of the file cabinet for a long time. They were mostly paid bills, some records of home repairs, things like that. I file pretty consistently, I had just let this pile happen slowly over time when I had items that would take a little extra effort to file. I’d gone without touching it for some time. It had become part of the landscape.
I set my timer for ten minutes and filed. Some of the items had aged out, so I could just throw them away. It took four or five ten-minute sessions over a couple of days before I reached the bottom and, to my embarrassment (I’m a professional organizer!), I realized that the items at the bottom of the pile were set there in 2007.
Among them was a file marked with my parents’ address. In it were some documents I had snagged when cleaning out their file cabinet in 2007. I remember that epic file-cabinet clearing. My parents had saved decades’ worth of certain paid bills. There were home purchase documents and some fun records, like the hospital bill for my birth in 1962 ($261.30), which was also in the file in my filing pile. But the real gem was a certified copy of my grandfather’s birth record, issued in 1944. Apparently there was never an actual birth certificate, since this copy was based on “affidavit and documentary evidence.”
In 2007, when I saved that document from being shredded with the rest of my parents’ old records, I was interested in genealogy. But wasn’t working on it properly or seriously. I knew enough to save that birth record, but I wasn’t interested enough to file it away properly or even remember ever having seen it.
Needless to say, I was delighted, if a little chagrined, to find it. I’ve added it to the source list in my family tree software. I’ve scanned it and filed it electronically and filed the copy among my paper files. It’s now safe and sound where it belongs.
Are there any piles or files in your home that might reveal some genealogical treasures? It might be worthwhile to catch up on your filing!
I totally understand. My sister was going to throw away some old papers of my our mother. I asked if I could take them. In it was an newspaper article about a mail man attacking children with an axe. The children were my uncle and mother.
Oh my goodness, Bill. That’s quite a find!
I had to laugh when I read that you found the hospital bill for your birth. I found the hospital bill for my birth when I helped my mother downsize a year and a half ago!
Now to remember where I filed it…
Thanks for the “set the timer for ten minutes” strategy reminder!
That’s such a fun find, isn’t it, Elizabeth? I also found my older brother’s hospital bill. If I’m remembering correctly, his circumcision cost $12.
You have left us in suspense. Was he born in Oregon?
Sorry, John! Yes, he was born in Portland, Oregon, and the address on the birth record matches the address in the newspaper announcement.
Janine,
I want to let you know that your blog post is listed in today’s Fab Finds post at http://janasgenealogyandfamilyhistory.blogspot.com/2015/10/follow-friday-fab-finds-for-october-30.html
Have a great weekend!
Thanks so much, Jana! I’m very grateful.
Such a great post and yes – going through papers the other day I found photographs (and letters etc) I don’t remember ever seeing and when I shared the photos on Facebook my relatives had never seen them before either. There was confusion about what year they were taken but we solved that!) http://moynahangenealogy.blogspot.ca/2015/11/52-ancestors-no-42-coughlin-anniversary.html
I am hoping for more finds as I go through more boxes!
Cindi, What a find! I checked out your blog post and loved those photos. And isn’t it great that it’s so easy to confer with relatives and get quick answers? Thanks for commenting.
I have just re read your post here and would like to know how you worded for the citation of the birth certificate? I have a few things that don’t fit in to the normal citatiob formats. Thanks.
Hi, Nan. I’m not sure this is the proper way to cite it, but here’s the source citation I came up in Reunion. I added a Detail field. “Certified Copy of Birth Record,” 23 Aug 1944, Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, Detail: Date of birth: 12 Nov 1904; birth certified verified by affidavit and documentary evidence.