[erschopft]

The Original Birth Index is not complete for every year; you may need to go to the Vital Statistics Office in Downtown Columbus to look for your birth name.



Making the appointment: Call Vital Statistics Bureau at (614) 466-2533 and schedule an appointment. You can make an appointment for 3 hours in the morning or 3 hours in the afternoon on weekdays.



Where to go: 225 Nelston Ave Columbus, OH The office is in the door on the East side (facing Nelston) and to the left. When you get there check in at the window. When you are called to go in you will need to sign out the microfiche birth records for your year.



How to search: You will do your searching in the glassed in area at the end of the waiting room. No electronics or purses will be allowed in this area. The microfiche machine is the one on the right when facing South. The microfiche is loaded in-between the glass so that the number is on the front left corner. The records are in alphabetical order by last name (not knowing the last name makes it alot more fun). How do you search so many records (1974 had 16 fiches)? Start on the record in the top left and go across from record to record like reading a book. When scanning the records scan down the “first name” column for a blank. A blank in the “first name” column indicates a baby that was adopted at birth. When you find a record with out a first name you scan across to the left to see if the county, city, and birth date match. If you are from a metropolitan county this will take a lot longer because so many babies were born in Cleveland Columbus and Cincinnati.



Good luck.

[mesmith]

Hi...although I don't know anything about 'hand searching' the index at Vital Stats in Columbus, I wanted to say that most bmoms name their babies and those names should appear on the birth index. (They do on my CD version.) Just want to point out that not all babies who are relinquished are not names.

If I've mis-understood, forgive me!

Marge Smith, OH

[erschopft]

...not going to argue that, but there are thousands of records; if you were adopted at birth, I would say it is a good place to start (looking at records with out first names). If one doesnt find a record that fits, they would have to go back and look at all the records for their birth date in thier county (and they are not sorted by b day or county). Both my record and my sister's (also adopted) record did not have a first name.

[Lynard1210]

erschopft,

I live in Ohio but need info in Illinois. Are all births listed in a birth index and this record is not sealed? So, even though I am an adoptee, I can walk into the Vital Statistics in Illinois and ask to see the birth index? Thanks for any help.

[Mackie]

Marge.........you are totally correct. Too many variables in births and adoptions to say to look for just the NO NAME babies.
This sends a wrong message IMHO
Blessings
Mackie

Originally Posted by mesmith

Hi...although I don't know anything about 'hand searching' the index at Vital Stats in Columbus, I wanted to say that most bmoms name their babies and those names should appear on the birth index. (They do on my CD version.) Just want to point out that not all babies who are relinquished are not names.

If I've mis-understood, forgive me!

Marge Smith, OH

[erschopft]

sorry about like not signing on in like 6 months:

- I cannot speak for the process in Illinois, every state is different.

- I was only documenting what my experiences were at the Vital Statistics Office. If you feel obligated to look up all births fitting your statistics, it could take months or years of eyeburning work. When a record doesnt have a first name to it, it is easy to pick out while quickly scanning the thousands and thousands of records. It is not the most accurate thing to do, but, if you have to drive 3 hours to get to the office it may be a good starting point. Scanning for records with out first names could easily take three 3 hour periods. It worked for us, we got a record that fit after about three hours and by sheer luck it ended up being the record we needed.