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On June 21, 1914 my maternal grandmother, Leona Gertrude Westell, was born. Anybody who knew her knows this information is wrong. But this was her birth name, and birth date, for 56 years!
Locating my maternal grandmother’s birth certificate was frustrating. The City of Trenton, office of Vital Statistics did not have any records for my grandmother. Because I was having a similar problem locating my grandfather’s (Charles Garrison) birth record I decided to go directly to the office of the NJ Department of Vital Statistics and conduct a search there.
When my documents arrived at the counter the woman there said she knew why I could not locate my grandmother’s record in the City of Trenton. I was told that I was searching for the wrong name on the wrong date and showed me a “change record request”. What?! I had never heard of changing vital records. As fate would have it, both of my grandparents had their records changed and this was the reason for being unable to locate their records.
On September 3, 1970 – a full 56 years after her birth – a “Request for Correction” application was filed seeking the change my grandmother’s name from Leona Westall to Leota Weastell, with a corrected birth date of June 22, 1914.
The request asked: How do you know such information is correct? My great-grandmother’s answer was simply, “Because I am her mother.” I can almost hear my great-grandmother saying those words, with a tone confidence that said, “and you better not doubt me.”
This research taught me a that changes to vital records are made at the state level and those changes are not sent to the municipal vital statistics offices. I already knew that death records often had incorrect information and I now know the same is true of birth recrods.
Hi Moe distant cousin Mason is my grandfather also he is buried in Curwensville Clearfield County, Pa about 4-6 mile from Hog Back His son John B Garrison is my gg grandfather and his son Jesse B is my great grandfather Jesse B Garrison’s daughter MayBelle is my grandmother who married Guy Bowman their home stead ( Mason ) is about 3 mile away from my home John then Jesse had married and raised their family at grandfather Mason’s homestead I also have been hitting that same brick wall I have not done the dna yet have you ? I am still trying to figure out their middle itnital B on what it stands for even my father carried the B and we have two different names in his documentations Jesse Burchfield .,Bowman my first cousin may have a lot more info since she had gotten letters etc from Jesse’s daughter our great aunt Marion Garrison their was even a letter stating one of their wives was bought so to speak she told me years ago before I got bitten by researching I plan on trying to contact her to see if I could at least get copies made of everything she has fingers crossed that she will share keep in touch Gloria
The “B” could be for Bloom. Their mother’s maiden name was Bloom.
I have not done DNA on this line. What is needed is a male descendant with the last name Garrison. For me, my mother is a Garrison.
Hi Moe it’s your cousin Carrie. I am Genieve Crosbys granddaughter. Have you done the DNA on our line. I haven’t had a male descendant do the DNA. Was wondering if we have info about the male hapalog group.