the conscience of the individual.
In case of death, the law interposes authoritatively. Having for additional
motive, the incentive of salubrity, the eye and hand of the executive are fixed
wpon it, and no inhumation can take place without the prehminary declaration
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/
BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS. 77
at the mayoralty's office, a post-mortem examination, if there he any doubt as
to the manner of the death, and a consequent permission on the part of the
authority to proceed.
In what way the incentiyes used here may be employed with us, is a point
difficult of solution.
By establishing a regular registry, and by enacting that, in after times, all
evidence relating to property , to descent, &c., &c., derive therefrom, we may
bring parents to the first record. At each cemetery, books may be kept also,
and he^e, we may in part succeed, as all must eventually pass that gate. But
as a bar to a regular system, we have still the marriage act, with us, so capri-
cious in its varied shapes, so hard to be reached, and which, yet, is indispensa-
ble to prove legitimate issue !
1 do not possess the local information necessary to solve the question, nor
can I presume to advise the abler men who have taken it up at home, but,
should they view the subject as I do, they will come to the conclusion that a
near approach to it would be, first of all, —
1st. The regular establishment by law of the acte civil, making the mar-
riage act one of civil legal interposition, independent of all reUgious interfer-
ence ; the latter to be left entirely to the dictate of conscience, and to the no
less powerful conventional regulation of society ; or,
2d. A system of central registry, embracing births, agreeably to the French
form, with a legislative enactment, that no other proof than legalized copies of
record be available in law. A marriage book to be kept, upon which the sur-
names and fcamty names of both parties be entered, but not until the certificate
of birth as specified above, shall have been produced, the marriage record thus
made J to be a requisite before the courts in all litigious cases ; and, finally, that
it be made unlawful for any sexton or church authority to bury without per-
mission first obtained from the mayor's office, where would, of course, be pre-
viously entered, the declaration, mode and time of the decease.
By thus interweaving all these acts, and rendering the compliance of one,
necessary to the other ; all the facts relative to the natural increase of the pop-
ulation would be brought to a centre.
The works annexed to this letter, are, I believe, sufficient to answer the
queries contained in the letter of Mr. Shattuck ; should they not prove so, it
will afford me pleasure to supply the deficiency, and to procure such additional
information as may be wanted.
I am, dear sir.
Your obedient servant,
EUGENE A. VAIL.
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78 BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS.
LIST OF WORKS AND DOCITMENTS WITH THIS LETTER.
Annuaife du Bareaa des Longitudes, pour 1837, .... 1 vol.
" " « " " ** 1838, 1 "
*' Maine pratique," OQ Dictionnaire des Fonaes, par Dupont, 1 ''
Code Ciyil Comment^, par Rogron, 1 ''
Manuscript copies of Forms (some of which could not be procured in print.)
Printed forms.
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SYSTEM FOR THE PUBLIC REGISTRATION
BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS,
EEFEBEED TO IN THE LETTER OF L. SHATTUCK, ESQ.
< h isfnUp as necessary for the preservation of the rights of trtdividuals to preserve a
register of Births, Marriages and Deaths, as it is to preserve a register of Deeds,^*
Report to Fakliamekt in 1833.
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BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS. 81
NOTE.
[Register Books should be made of demy, or folio post paper, of good substantial qual-
ity, about 22 by 27 inches. This would give a page of 11 by 13 inches, which would be
of conTenient size for the blanks. They should contain a title page, the laws, forms of
returns, and other general printed regulations and instructions, all of which should be
printed to be bound up at the beginning of all the registers of births, marriages, or
deaths. Each register of the different kinds should be made of blanks, printed and
cross-ruled according to the form here prepared, and should contain on the first page the
instructions to the registrar or clerk. Separate registers for the births, marriages and
deaths, may be made for large towns, or they may be all bound together.
The population of Massachusetts is about 750,000, and of these it may be estimated
that 1 in 30, or about 25,000 births, 1 in 125, or 6,000 marriages, and 1 in 60, or 12,600
deaths, take place in the whole State every year. This of course is a mere estimate,
and may be erroneous, though it is supposed to be not far from the truth. This would
require 43,000 entries to be made every year in the State. If each sheet should contain
50 entries, it would require 860 sheets, or less than two reams of paper, which might
cost tl2 to tl5. A register of two quires of paper might be made for 12 to 13, accord-
ing to the quality of paper and style of binding; and this would last a town of 1600
inhabitants from 15 to 20 years.]
11
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82 BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS.
REGISTER OF BIRTHS
For the Town of .
Directions to the Registrar, or Clerk.
t. In the parenthesis at the top of the page insert the page of the Register.
2. Fill up the running line near the top by inserting the name of the townj
county and State, and the dates when the first and last entries of the page were
made ; and the signature of the registrar, or clerk, who makes the entries.
3. Ui^der '' iVo." insert in figures the number of the entry, the births each
year being numbered s^arately, No. 1 being the first made in the month of
January.
4. Under " Date of Birth y*^ insert the year, month and day when the birth
took place. He may also insert the hour of the day when informed of it.
5. Under " Place of Birth y"*^ insert the name of the town, parish, street,
or place where the birth occurred.
6. Under " Name, (if any ^y^ insert the name or names, if any shall hare
been given to the child before registration, or when obtained after the registra-
tion of the other particulars, but the surname must not be inserted here.
7. Under " Sex and Condition,*^ insert boy or girl, and twins, as the case
may be ; and also in addition, colored, if the child be not w^hite.
8. Under " Name and Surname of Father,^* insert the name or names, and
surnames of the father, (if known,) but if the informant declines stating the
name of the father, or there shall be reason to believe that the child is illegiti-
mate, the enquiry shall not be pressed, but the column be left blank.
9. Under " Occupation of Father,^' insert the profession, occupation, trade
or calUng of the father.
10. Under ** Residence of Parents,** insert the name of the town, parish,
street or place where they reside.
11. Under ^* Name and Maiden Name of Mother,*^ insert the name and sur-
name of the mother before marriage, and if previously married, the name and
" surname of her first husband.
12. Under ^^ Infonnant,** insert the name and surname of the person who
makes the return, and also whether he be a medical professional man or other-
wise.
13. Under " Date of Registration,^* insert the day of the month and year
when recorded.
If all the particulars under -each of these heads cannot be obtained, such as
can be known should be inserted.
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(PAGE 8S
[RieHT Hand Pagb.
REGISj^asachusetts, from the 5th day of Sept. A. D.
^H, Registrar.
No.
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
Dat4
4.
SepU
Oetd
Oct!
Octi
Mnfi
n.
DectA
Deed
Deced
I
I
"Ihorelj
house I occu]
Name and MaideoName
of Mother.
Eliiabelh Vinceni,
formerly MarMU.
MmyJohMony
formerly Otis.
Jdaria Loanda.
Ann Thayer y
formerly Brown.
Jane Lorinf^^
formerly Goodwin
Eveline Tliomas,
formerly Smith.
Jane Brighamj
formerly Mlson.
lafonnant.
When Ref ittered.
John Brown, M. D.
Mary Johnson^
the mother.
Maria Loomu,
the mother.
James Mason^ M D.
Henry WalUmy
Overseer of the Poor.
John Lorinfi^j M. D.
the father.
John Thomas,
thefather.
DwighiWmiams,M.D.
October 1st, 1842.
October 70th, 1S4SI
October 3Ut, 1842.
JWoemfter 2(2, 1842.
JVovember 12th, 1842.
December 14/A, 1842.
December QSth, 1042.
December 29th, 1842.
INDEX TO -THE BIRTHS.
1. Date
2. Plac^
a Nanw
4. Sex I
5. Nani<
a occt
7. Resi
8. Nami
IfbwicI
Page.
82
62
Surname of Pa-
rents.
J.
Johnson,
L.
Loring.
Name of Chi Id.
John.
Boy.
Page,
82
82
Surname of Pa-
rent«.
T.
Thayer.
V.
Vincent.
Xama of Child.
Owen,
Elizabeth,
Page.
82
82
ths should he made according to the ahove specimen, and honnd with the
>f it. It should contain the following particulars : —
the parents arranged alphabetically, inserting the name of the father, ex^
)ear8 not to have been bom in wedlock, and then always the name of the
S) or, if there be no name given, the sex of the child ; or leave it blank
ime when obtained.
istry Book where the full particulars may be found. -
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84 BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS.
13. Under ** Occupation of Fathers,^* insert his profession, occupation,
trade or calling.
14. Under " Date of Marriage,** insert the name and day of the month
and year when it took place.
15. Under " Place of Marriage,** insert the name of the town, or parish,
and, if in a city, the street and number of the house, or the church, where it
was solemnized.
16. Under '* Name and Official Station of the person by whom Married,**
insert the name and surname of the person by whom married, and clergyman,
magistrate, or otherwise, according as his official station may be.
17. Under ** Names of Witnesses,** insert the names of two persons who
were present and witnessed the marriage.
18. Under ** Date of Registration,** insert the name and day of the month
and the year when the entry was made.
19. It is important that aD the foregoing particulars should be ascertained
and inserted in their respective columns. Some difficulties may occur in re-
gard to those required in the 1 1th, 12th and 13th sections of these directions,
relating to the name and description of fathers, which in dome cases cannot be
always known. It is therefore proper, in the course of enquiries, to guard
against offisnding the feelings of such persons ; and it is recommended in res-
pect to the particulars here proposed to be inserted, that the parties be merely
asked whether they can furnish the means of filling them, and if they answer
in the negative, the enquiry should not be pressed, nor the reason asked. Nor
is it proper to insert any words of explanation of the omission, such as not
known, or information refused, but the column should be left blank.
20. If a marriage take place in a different town from that where the inten-
tions were entered, or where the license was granted, it is important that such
marriage be recorded where such intentions were first made, and where one of
the parties lived, and not where the marriage took place. It may, however,
be recorded in a different town if the parties request it, and where neither of
the parties lived, but in all cases the place of entering the intentions of mar-
riage should be particularly mentioned in the record and in the certificate of
marriage.
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(P4.RIAGES. I
RlTown oi
1842.—^
— > «
No« Re«W«nce of F«
then.
PI JimMTtA,
4
ont Boston,
^ Groton.
4
* !
84
89
Nftine.
Nai J
Ag<
Con
Oc<
Pla« Thomm.
Ref
Fad Hemidta,
FatI
Fad Phineag.
Mot
' Frances Jlnf
of e Register o
. liflhis of the pert
I or given na
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«
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i
BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS. 85
REGISTER OF DEATHS
For the Town of
Directions to the Registrar or Clerk.
I. In the parenthesis at the top of the page insert the page of the Register.
3. Fill up the running title near the top hy inserting the name of the town,
county and State, and the date when the first and last entries on the page were
made ; and the signature of the registrar or clerk hy whom made.
3. Under ** iVb," insert in figures, the number of the entry, those for each
year being numbered separately, that made first in January, being number one.
4. Under ^^ Date of Death,'^ insert the month, day, and year, when the
death took place. The hour may also be inserted if deemed expedient.
5. Under *' Name and Surname,^* insert the name and surname of the de-
ceased, and if a widow, the name of her last deceased husband.
6. Under " Sex and Condition^*^ insert husband or wj/c, bachelor or mouf,
widower or widow ^ boy or girl, as the case may be. And colored, in addition,
if not white.
7. Under '' Age,"*^ insert in figures the number of years old, on the last
preceding birth-day, or if under one year, the number of months or days.
8. Under ** Occupation,''^ insert the profession, trade, or calling, of the
deceased.'
9. Under " Place of Death, ^* insert the name of the city or town ; and also
the street and number of the house, where it occurred.
10. Under '^ Years Residence,''^ insert the number of years the deceased
had resided in the city or town. Changes which have taken place in his resi-
dence in the same town need not be noticed. If a native born, leave the col-
umn blank.
II. Under ^^ Place of Birlh,^* insert the name of the town, county, or
State, if in the United States, or the Empire, Kingdom, or State, if a foreigner,
where the deceased was bom.
12. Under ^^ Name and Surname of Parents,^^ &c., insert the name and
surname of both the father and mother; and when known, the maiden surname
of mother; or if a widow, the name of her last deceased husband.
13. Under " Disease or Cause of Death,^^ insert the name of the disease,
or accident, by which the person died, and when he can, the duration of the
disease, in figures, in years, months, days or hours. In order that the infor-
mation on tbiB head may be the best attainable, the sexton or clerk should be
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86 BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS.
required before any interment, to apply for it, when he can, to the medical
attendant of the deceased person, who should be bound to give the information
to the best of his ability. When no medical man has been present, or in at-
tendance, or when no opinion of a medical man, as to the cause of death, can
be obtained, the sexton or clerk may insert the cause ef such death, according
the best information he can obtain, or leave it blank.
14. Under ^* Place of Interment, ^^ insert the name of the burying ground,
and the number of the tomb or lot where interred.
15. Under *' Sexton,^^ insert the name and surname of the sexton, under-
taker, or person by whom the interment was made.
16. Under ^* Informant y^* insert the name of the Informant, and also in
addition the name of his profession or occupation.
17. Under " When Registered,^^ insert the month, day, and year, when
registered.
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)EATHS. I
shusetts, J
, Registi!
urnamo of ParenM
lolhenameof hii
m Jones.
khWkiU.
lorse.
Klorse.
jiher Wilson.
^VUsofij
trmerly Jorui
of Jhnoa B
\ceased.)
Index j
n the foj
^he sua
he nai
'he pa]
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«
a;i
t<
U
b
U
a
t:
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>
Digitized by VjOOQIC
ttgitized by VjOOQIC
\S^ f f ' # 1 •
H\A
D'J PLICATE,
REGISTRATION
BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS
MASSACHUSETTS.
I'^H^
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THIRD
ANNUAL REPORT
TO THS
LEGISLATURE,
RSLATUro TO
THE REGISTRY AND RETURNS
OF
BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS
iv
MASSACHUSETTS.
FOR THE YEAR ENDING MAY 18T, 1844.
BY JOHN G. PALFREY,
SBCHBTART OF THB COXXONWBALTB.
D«««ia1»«V9 1844.
So0ton:
OUTTON AND WENTWORTH, STATE PRINTERS.
1845.
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>'J.
^Li^ia^
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€ommon\situltfi of iHaooactittotttis.
Secretary's Office; December, 1844.
To the Honorable Senate
aitd House of Representatives :
I have the honor to present the following Report of proceed-
ings had agreeably to the Act of 1844 (chapter 159) '• relating
to the Registry and Returns of Births, Marriages and D.^iiiiis."
Immediately upon the passage of the Act, measures were
taken to prociire the blank books for registration required by
the seventh section. In the month of May they were ready
for delivery, and were forwarded by the earliest opportunities
to the towns. The pages of the Registers were ruled in col-
umns so as to receive entries of the various particulars required
hy the law. They are of good paper, and in durable binding.
They are of four different sizes, to correspond in some degree
to the population of the respective towns. The books furnished
to the smallest corporations will probably not b^ filled in ten
years ; the others will need to be sooner renewed. Three Reg-
isters were furnished to the city of Boston, for Births, Mar-
riages and Deaths, respectively. The whole cost of the vol-
umes was six hundred and fifty dollars.
The law was published in the official newspaper immediate-
ly upon its enactment. On the 15th of April, I addressed a
circular letter to the town clerks, communicating a copy of the
law, and then proceeding as follows :
" This act, you will observe, contains the provision that it
shall take effect from and after its passage. You will accord-
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VI
ingly, in conformity to the first section, make your next return
to this office in June^ instead of May, as heretofore.
It may seem to you, at first view, that there is a discrepancy
in the law in respect to the limit of the registration year. The
first section directs the clerks to transmit, in June, a record
' of Births, Marriages and Deaths which have occurred within
their respective towns during the year next preceding the first
day of saiimonih^ while the second section directs the school
committees annually to make returns in May, of ' all the births
which have happened during the year next preceding the first
day of said MayJ The latter provision is so express as to
leave no doubt of what was intended in respect to births ; and
it was evidently the intention of the Legislature that the reg-
istration year should have the same limits for marriages and
deaths as for births. Further ; the law, when it directs the
clerks to make their returns to the Secretary in June, leaves
them at liberty to make it in the first days of that month, at
which time the latest returns of marriages and deaths in their
possession will be of such as took place in April. Accordingly,
your annual return to this office will include births, marriages
and deaths happening in the ' year next preceding the first day
of May.'
According to the terms of the act, your returns of all births,
&c., since its passage, should include all the particulars speci-
fied in the blanks which I this day transmit to you. It is prob-
able, however, that the law may not yet have become known,
through the customary method of publication, to all the officers
and others on whom it imposes obligations ; and that therefore
your returns, for the whole year about to close, will prove im-
perfect in respect to particulars not contemplated in the former
act. You will be pleased, in your return in June next, to make
entries in the blanks as full as your materials permit. In the
next year a mnqh closer approximation to completeness may be
looked for.
In respect to births, however, of which the census is required
by the law to be made by the school committee in the month
of May, it may be expected that your return will be full. To
this end it is desirable that you ahouid, mthaut delay, confer
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vn
with the school committee of your town on the subject, that
they may seasonably decide on some efficient plan of opem-
tions. I send you duplicate blanks for returns of births, one
for the committee's return to you, the other for your return lo
this office.
The blanks for returns of marriages and deaths, which I
transmit at the same time, can be enlarged by yon according to
the length of the return.
I respectfully ask your careful attention and aid in carrying
out the designs of the Legislature. You will not fail to per-
ceive the great importance of immediate exertion on the part
of the town clerks in calling the attention of those from whom
they are to receive reports, to the duty enjoined on them by
the law."
Along with the Registers, the following circular letter was
sent to the Town Clerks :
*'SiB, — Herewith you will receive a blank book, prepared for
the record required by the Act of March 16th, 1844, to be
made of Births, Marriages and Deaths, by the town clerk of
In the beginning of the volume you will find a copy of the
Act. The blank space on the reverse of the page maybe used
for entering any laws hereafter made in relation to the subject.
You will observe that you are to enter only births, marriages
and deaths, taJcing place in your own town. These events in
families of your citizens, if they do not occur within your town
limits, do not belong to your record.
The ruled columns contain spaces for a few classes of entries,
which you are not required by law to make, viz : one for the
name of the m/ormantj under all the heads ; one for the place
of interment^ under the head of deaths ; and spaces for the
place of birth of the parties, and the occupation and residence
of their parents^ under that of marriages. As to filling these
spaces, and soliciting information for that purpose, the clerks
are of course at liberty to be governed by their own judgment.
The blank in the line at the head of each left hand page of
the Register will receive the entry, required by law, of the
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Vlll
place in which births, &c., occur. But in the pages for the re-
cord of births, there is also a column headed place of births^ in
which some clerks, particularly of large towns, or of such as
contain difiereni villages, rtay be inclined to enter the parts of
the town in which the births respectively took place.
I respectfully suggest that, in the entry of diseases under the
head of deaths, it will be best to adopt the popular names.
These are thought, on the whole, to afford the best basis for
the scientific arrangement, which ought to be made, when the
returns come to be collected into tables.
Each successive town clerk should take care that his signa-
ture, at the head of each right hand page of the Register,
stands over no other entries than what have been made by
himself.
Trusting that your best exertions will be used to carry out
the objects of the Legislature in establishing this system,
I have the honor to be," &c.
Returns of Births have been received from 288 towns, of
Marriages from 289 towns, and of Deaths from 281 towns.
There remain 20 towns without returns of births, 19 towns
without returns of marriages, and 27 towns without returns of
deaths, besides the two districts of Boston Corner and Marshpee.
A portion of the returns were not made within the time pre-
scribed by law ; and a few were made so late as to occasion
much extra trouble in the preparation of the Tables. '
A large portion of the returns are more or less imperfect in
some of the particulars required by law. A great part of this
imperfection is fully explained by the fact that, when the law
went into effect, it was already too late to obtain, for this regis-
tration year, many of the particulars required by it. For the
most part the town clerks have shown a commendable inter-
est in the object, and in some instances they have taken great
pains to carry the law fully into efTect. Also, in some in-
stances, the school committees have used great diligence in
their department to collect information respecting the births.
Some of the imperfections are noticed in the marginal notes
to the Tables ; and in a few instances commendation is there
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IX
given. But it is not to be inferred that other returns do not
equally deserve favorable notice. These memoranda were