Nineteenth Century Oregon Birth Records

By Connie Lenzen, Certified Genealogist

The best sources for birth dates are original one — those created at or near the time of the birth. They contain details that may have been provided by someone with firsthand knowledge of the event. If the informant had personal knowledge of the event and recorded the information close in time to the event, the information is primary (first-hand) and likely to be fairly reliable. Secondary information (second-hand) is subject to more errors.

The date of the earliest state-level birth record in Oregon is 1903. Therefore, there are no state-level nineteenth-century birth records for Oregon. This creates a difficult situation for genealogists. We want sources created at the time of the event, but, birth records weren't kept by the state until 1903. Good news: Some counties and cities kept records prior to the 1903 state registration. These are either at the Oregon State Archives or still in the county. An inventory of birth records in the possession of the Oregon State Archives is on their website, http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/vital.html.

Summary of Extant Records.

The following chart summarizes records that are still in existence at the county level.

First Column: Name of county.

Second Column: Date formed.

Third Column: In 1942, the Oregon Historical Records Survey, a W.P.A. project, prepared the Guide to Public Vital Statistics Records in Oregon. The third column in the table shows the date of earliest birth record as recorded in the Guide.

Fourth Column: The dates of nineteenth-century births held by the Oregon State Archives.

Fifth Column: The dates of nineteenth century births held in the counties. For a detailed explanation of where the records are located, see the "Records Inventories" on the Oregon State Archives' web site, http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/county/cpquick.html.

As noted above, the best substitute is a record created close in time to the birth and by a person who has first-hand knowledge of the event. Since Oregon nineteenth-century birth records are seldom found, and other sources must be used.

Substitutes for Oregon nineteenth-century birth records.

There are substitutes that can be used when we want to find a birth record from the nineteenth-century. I've had experience in ferreting out these records, and I know where they can be found. I can research these substitutes and construct proof of kinship for you.

Baptismal Records.Some religious denominations record the births or infant baptisms of their members' children. Baptismal records often give the date of birth as well as the date of baptism. Major denominations that practice infant baptism include the Episcopal, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Reformed, Methodist, Roman Catholic, and Congregational (now United Church of Christ) churches.

Bible Records. Before births were recorded by localities and states, some families recorded births in the family Bible. It is common to find, written on pages included for that purpose in the front, back, or center of the Bible, the names of the husband and wife followed by a list of their children with their birth dates. Transcriptions of family Bible records have been collected by genealogical and historical societies and the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). Some have been published in genealogical periodicals. Some transcribed Bible records are available online.

Census Records. The 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 censuses all give an age and a state of birth. The 1900 census gives the month and year of birth and the state of birth. Since the informant is seldom known, we need to compare census evidence with other pieces of evidence.

County Histories. A number of county histories were produced in the late nineteenth-century, and they contain biographies with information that was supplied by the individuals who told when and where they were born.

Death Records. Death records contain primary information for the date and place of death, but the birth information is usually secondary and likely to have errors.

Land Records. Most nineteenth-century births occurred at home. When we have a birth year and we know where a family lived, we can say that "probably" the birth occurred there.

Marriage Records. Typically, nineteenth-century Oregon marriage records did not include birthdate or birthplace. Oregonians who lived near the Washington border often went to Washington to wed. Nineteenth-century Washington State marriage records contain significantly more information, and the birth date and place are often recorded. Historic marriage records for Washington are indexed in the Washington State Archives' digital index.

Mortality Schedules. The 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 census schedules include a Mortality Schedule for deaths that occurred in the twelve months prior to the census day of 1 June. Indexes to these schedules are on Ancestry.com.

Newspaper Birth Announcement. A one-line birth announcement in the local newspaper often gave the birth-date. Published in 1846 in Oregon City, the Oregon Spectator was the first newspaper on the Pacific Coast. This paper and other papers that followed included vital records such as births, marriages, and deaths. The largest collection of microfilmed Oregon newspapers is at the University of Oregon in Eugene. The University will loan films, and a catalog of their holdings is online. URL: http://libweb.uoregon.edu/ speccoll/ image_ svcs/onp/index.html. Of secondary, but still significant, size is that of the Oregon Historical Society in Portland.

Tombstone Inscription. Older tombstone inscriptions often give the deceased's age at death in years, months, and days instead of the date of birth.

World War I Draft Record. During the years 1917 and 1918 there were three draft registrations, which eventually included all men between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, whether native born, naturalized citizens, or aliens. The draft registration cards include the man's date of birth. Image copies are in the Ancestry.com collection.

Contact Connie Lenzen, if you need someone to obtain vital records for your Oregon project.

© 2004–2011

Connie Lenzen, CG^SM

CG, Certified Genealogist, is a service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under license by Board-certified genealogists after periodic evaluation, and the board name is registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office.