In Louisiana, they did not require births to be registered until the mid 1910’s. Even though it was required, compliance was spotty. As a matter of fact, my grandmother who was born in Rapides parish in the early 1920’s, never had a birth certificate because she was born at home!
After a birth certificate turns 100 years old, it is released to the State Archives for public access. The index is on their website. I looked for only Ouachita Parish births and it only showed me five from 1911 and 1912. I would venture to guess they are all what is called a Delayed Birth Certificate. That is when a person needs a birth certificate but doesn’t have one. They then have to prove their birth information and then register it. Here are the five listed by name, parents name and date of birth:
Blackmon, Roslyn Louise, Mother: Lillie Kornmann, Father: Edward Sylvester Blackmon, DOB: 9/20/1912
Brown, W.C. Barnes, Mother: Issie Latittia Barnes, Father: Wyley Cornelius Brown, DOB: 5/20/1911
Culpepper, Winnifred, Mother: Maud Mecom, Father: W.S. Culpepper, DOB: 7/19/1911
Moore, James Richard, Mother: Julia C. Toomes, Father: Jethro Calvin Moore, DOB: 8/3/1911
Stair, Mares Clara, Mother: Rhoda Barneycostle, Father: Charley Stair, DOB: 8/10/1911
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