Wayland births, 1868-1925 (individual certificates). Wayland, Mass.

Individual birth certificates provide genealogical and local history information. The first certificate is a delayed birth certificate for Edward Baxter Bowles. Other “official records” have his birth year as 1871,1872, 1873 and even 1879. This delayed birth certificate gives his birth as 1868 but was not recorded until 1937. The Bowles’ certificate was given by his brother. Other records are documented with Bible entries supplied by a named relative. Many records have 2 pages. Delayed birth certificates are not always in chronological order. Ellen McManus’ birth certificate did not provide the mother’s maiden name. There are about a dozen of the delayed certificates in the beginning. Birth records are recorded not only in the physical location or town where the birth occurred but also in the town where the parents resided. As home births became less frequent and hospital or lying-in stays became more popular double birth reports occurred. The majority of the birth certificates furnish the parents’ birth place also. If a person lived in Cochituate Village, it was noted on the record as well as the town of Wayland – usually the doctor knew those that lived in the village. As with death certificates, the accuracy of the information depends on the informant. This set of birth certificates start in 1881 and ends in 1925.
Courtesy of Wayland Town Clerk