This is an update to a previous post. I searched the online records for Vital Records for Eureka, in fact all of Greenwood County, Kansas. Birth Registrations and Marriage Records are in a ledger style book that was microfilmed and now digitized.
Mary Elizabeth Elliott was reportedly born in 1909 in Eureka, Kansas. I searched all records for 1906-1911. I searched for birth records for Mary Elizabeth Elliott, and any record of other Elliott children born, or any child born to a Cora. No record was found.
The closest similar record found was a baby girl Elliott, born on Oct 13, 1906, a legitimate child, born to Mary Ford and H.D. Elliott. At this time, I have no idea who H.D. Elliot was. He may or may not be a relative of the J.D. Elliott that is reportedly the father of Mary Elizabeth Elliott. But this baby girl Elliott is not likely the Mary Elizabeth Elliott I am looking for.
I also searched for a marriage record for the reported parents of Mary Elizabeth Elliott. That should be Cora Jane Jones and Joseph D. Elliott. I searched all marriage records from 1906-1911, with no record found, and no similar record found.
We now have a conundrum. The reported birth places for Mary include Inka, Kansas (interpreted to mean Iuka, Kansas in Pratt County as no Inka has been found to exist) and also Eureka, Kansas in Greenwood County. No birth record for Mary has been found in either location, and no marriage record for parents has been found in either location.
The possibilities include the record did not survive, the record may have not been located, or the birthplace and/or marriage place is in yet another location.
My next step is to contact the State of Kansas for a Birth Certificate search. Mary was born in 1909, and the State of Kansas began recording Birth Certificates in 1911. At first glance, there would be no reason to conduct a search.
However, some people did file what was called a “delayed Birth Certificate” with their state. This would be a Birth Certificate filed later, perhaps years later, than the actual birth. This would require a sworn affidavit from someone present at the birth, such as the mother or the doctor or other witness. While this is possible, I don’t know if Mary ever filed for a delayed Birth Certificate. She did file for a Social Security Number in 1939, and some form of ID or proof of birth was likely required, so a filed delayed Birth Certificate may have been submitted as proof of birth date to the Social Security Administration. If so, the State of Kansas MAY have a delayed certificate on file. You never know until you request the search!
So, a search application for a delayed Birth Certificate for Mary Elizabeth Elliott in Kansas has been filed. I’ll update you when I hear from them. The results will be either no record found, or a copy of a delayed Birth Certificate will be sent to me.