Quote:
Originally Posted by honeychile
When you get a certified copy of your birth certificate, be sure to say that it's for genealogical purposes, so that it will show your parents!
One thing that the site doesn't tell you is to make copies of EVERYTHING, and never send in originals! I also put each of my lineages in a separate loose leaf notebook - just in case you need to find the proofs for something else.
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What I have actually done is just make copies of the original, certified certificates (oxymoron?!) and keep only the copies in the house. I have all my originals in labeled envelopes in my safe deposit box (with transcripts, membership pins, passports, etc). That way I don't run as much of a risk of losing the originals and know I can mark up what I have in the house, etc. Vital records can get REALLY expensive fast - and some states recently jacked up their prices (WI jumped from $7 for marriage and death to $20!). Some states will also offer the option of a document stamped "not for identification" which has all the same data just is not 'certified'. Lineage societies will also accept these kinds of copies (but you will want to double check that with the actual society - I know all the groups I have joined accepted them).
I'm willing to help as well.
