Records from Virginia's Health Dept.

Records from Virginia's Health Dept.
I recieved this July 2002 from the Virginia Department of Health after requesting a record.

The Archives Division, Virginia State Library and Archives, Ricmond VA 23219-3491, has copies of all existing Virginia birth and death records prior to 1896 and marriage records prior to 1936. These records are public information and are available on microfilm for use by the public. There is no charge for viewing the microfilm of these records. Copies fo the microfilm may be lent to local Virginia libraries from the State Library and Archives.

Generally for most areas of the state, records are available for the period of 1853 to 1896. Any "Marriage Bonds" prior to 1853 that are still in existence would also be in the Virginia Stat Library and Archives, as would war records prior to and including the Civil War, deeds, wills, and other court records.

Events that occurred in the Portion of Virginia that is now West Virginia are recorded in the archives of The Division of Culutre and History, Capitol Complex, Cultural Center, 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East, Charleston, West Virginia 23505-0300.

With the exception of the years of 1896-1912, the Division of Vital Records has records of births, deaths, and marriages since 1853. There are no records prior to 1853, and there was no law for the registration of births and deaths between 1896 and June 14, 1912.

The Virginia Division of Vital Records is not equipped to do genealogical research; and such research should be done in the Archives of the Virginia State Library and Archives as indicated above. Copies of records which are known to be on file by a review of the Archives division mirofilm may be obtained from the Division of Vital Records upon application and payment of the fee $8.00 per copy. Applications for copies of records must include full names and dates and places (cities or counties) of the events.

In the Division of Vital Records, death, marriage, and divorce data become public information fifty years from the date of the event, and birth records become public information after 100 years from the date of birth. As noted above, any birth, or death records, from 1853 to 1896, and any marriage records from 1853 to 1936 at the State Library and Archives are public information (32.1-371.D, code of Virginia).