Birth Certificate Question

[HeiressofBickworth]

I've done genealogy research for decades but I've never before bothered to assemble my own personal documentation.

I have a certificate of birth from the hospital in which I was born.
I have a certified birth certificate from the state in which I was born (Missouri).
When I applied for a recent passport, I didn't locate the birth certificate previously issued so I ordered a new one.

Ok, so far so good. But what is a puzzle is a half-page document entitled The United States of America, Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Notification of Birth Registration. It was issued by Jasper County Health Officer,. Special Agent, Bureau of the Census, Webb City Missouri (not the town I was born in).

It appears to be an original document, the stamped signature ink appears to be slightly purple. My personal information (name date, parents, DOB) are typed in and all other text on the document appears to be printed in black ink. At the bottom is a line that identifies the form as "U.S. Government Printing Office: 1944 - O- 601714.

So, my question is, what is this? I've never seen one before in all my years of research. Why would this have been issued? What is the purpose? Since I wasn't born in a census year, why would the Bureau of the Census be involved?

Any hints would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Gormy Cuss]

1. It was part of the effort to standardize birth registrations.

It was used from early to mid-20 century. It's meant to be a confirmation of the official state record of birth.

[HeiressofBickworth]

2. Thank you!

What ever happened to the standardization process? It seems to me that every state has its own certification form. There have been changes in the certification form sometime between 1965 when I obtained one for my first passport and 2002 when I obtained a renewal. The 2002 form contained less information.

[Gormy Cuss]

3. Many states standardized birth registrations in the late 19th century. IIRC this form was used in

in states that were trying to standardize later. You've probably run into Delayed Record of Birth forms, another way of trying to standardize birth registration. My gmother's brothers all had Delayed Records issued in the 1940s when they joined the war effort because they were born in remote logging camps and there were no local town/county clerks looking to register them. My gmother never had a birth certificate until she applied for Social Security.

[HeiressofBickworth]

4. Interesting information.

I doubt this was a Delayed Record -- I was born in a hospital in a mid-sized town in Missouri. The oldest issued state certificate was dated 18 days after my birth so it appears the hospital furnished birth information as required.

From the information you've provided, I'm going to assume this was part of a national standardization process that was dropped sometime after 1945.

Thank you so much for your help.

[Gormy Cuss]

5. Oh, didn't mean to suggest that yours was a delayed record. That was just another example

of an odd form one encounters in BMDs.

AFAIK, your form was used only in some states and was discontinued mid-century. The locally recorded birth info was sent to the Feds; they issued the form and sent it back to for confirmation. I believe this form was sent directly to parents but I'm not sure.