The WPA indexes exist in Floyd County, but they aren't necessarily 100
percent correct. We have done some of them off of the microfilm from our
courthouse. They wanted to make more space, so they had them microfilmed and
sent the originals to Indianapolis, the microfilm to the library. Now, when
someone wants information, the health department refers them to the
library.
spc
----- Original Message -----
From: <Pigsmont(a)aol.com>
To: <INDYTALK-L(a)rootsweb.com>
Sent: Monday, August 15, 2005 5:55 PM
Subject: [INDYTALK] Re: birth/death records
In a message dated 8/14/2005 5:00:41 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
INDYTALK-the
Richardsons writes:
wanted to create an index like the WPA's. Randolph is one
of the counties that didn't get indexed. Both times the man that is in the
Health Dept. has denied me.
I have an email from the State Health Dept. saying it is ok for me to do
this. I also was given a copy of the state laws that states they are
public
record and there are penalties if someone is denied.
I have had problems with bureaucratic clerks such as this guy in the
Health
Department you mention. They seem to be obstructionist types, who, if
they can
get away with it, will lie to you and laugh as you walk away defeated.
The
best thing to do, it seems to me, is to go in there and try to get a
different
person to wait on you. (Go at lunch time?) And if that doesn't work,
have
the copy of the state laws with you and show it to them.
I wasn't even aware of WPA lists like this. They should be in book form
somewhere, I presume. How do we get hold of these lists? I'm definitely
interested in them for Spencer County.
In California, where I live, a few years ago the governor offered the
birth
indexes for sale as a way to make money for the state. There was such a
furor
raised they withdrew them. Some alert people did buy copies, though, but
I
wasn't one of them. And KY offered death records about the same time but
it was
my understanding they were withdrawn, also. With all the upset over
identity
theft, I think they've been changing laws about releasing records. Here
in
California, their excuse is that we have lots of illegals from Mexico who
try
to steal identities through publication of records. It's a crock, though.
They can go downtown anywhere and buy phony papers on the street. Nobody
goes to
the trouble to try to steal someone's birth or death information.
Peggy Guinn Bowen
Spencer Co. IN Coordinator
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