I have researched the Flowers family for the past three years and never found a birth certificate for any member of this family. Was I surprised?  It was not a required document to be recorded at a black child’s birth. For most African Americans born in the seventeenth, eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth century, birth certificates were generally a listing in the family’s Bible. This was also dependent upon where the individual resided, North, South, or Midwest.  I was quite surprised when I found the birth certificate of Herbert Wilson (1907-1962), wife of Hilda Clifford Flowers. Born in Philadelphia, Herbert was the son of Maurice Wilson and Evelina Augustus. His mother was 41 years old and his father was a 43 year old porter.

It is also important, yet odd to note that this was a legitimate birth. I understand why this detailed is included, but I am glad that they removed this box from birth certificates. This is not a huge find, but it is something new and I can say I have found a birth certificate for someone in this family’s tree.

Until the next post,

Christina