Why are some births not recorded?
Answer
There are reasons why a birth might not be listed in the probate court. Even though it was law for probate courts to keep birth records between 1867 and 1908, that doesn't mean all the births during that time frame were recorded. A birth was reported to the probate court in a variety of ways. First, the family could make the effort to go into the courthouse to register the birth with the probate court. Second, once a year, usually in March, the township assessors made a list of the births and deaths that happened during the previous 12 months. These township assessor lists were given to the probate court to be recorded in the birth and death ledgers. Finally, in the larger cities, the doctors who were present at the births were supposed to report the event to the probate court. If the birth was overlooked because none of the above methods was used to register it with the probate court, it is possible that the county government office didn't record the birth.
Please visit our vital records research guide for more information.