Beaufort County Genealogical Society

May Meeting

 

President – Ann Basnight

Vice-President – Terria Baynor

Treasurer – Louise Cowell

Corresponding Secretary – Mary Disharoon

Recording Secretary – Vernetta Lange

 

 

The Beaufort County Genealogical Society met at 7:00 p.m. on 5/6/03 in the Office of the Clerk of Court with 29 members and guests present.

 

The minutes of the previous meeting and the treasurer’s report were dispensed with. 

 

Mr. Tom Payne related the general mission of the Clerk’s Office.  The office is responsible for scheduling and maintaining records of civil and criminal cases; probation of wills and division of estates; ligitimation (establishing paternity); issuing passports; assisting in child support collection; juvenile court cases and special proceedings which includes land records, land disputes, name changes and adoptions.

 

Of particular interest was the discussion of adoptions.  The Clerk’s Office is essentially responsible for processing paper work as required by law.  When Social Services or an adoption agency presents required and completed documents, the Clerk’s Office follows regulations established by the Legislature, forwards appropriate forms to Raleigh where a new birth certificated is issued reflecting the names of adoptive parents.  The original birth certificate is then destroyed.

 

The civil and criminal records from 1996 forward are available on computer in the office.  Prior to 1996 records are in the log books also in the office.  All records are on microfilm at Archives with 1 copy retained for in-house use.

 

Most records are available for public use; some proceedings concerning juveniles are closed to the public.

 

Mr. Payne requested that when we want to do research, let someone in the office know who we are and what we’re doing.

 

He explained how to utilize the records available for public use and assisted those present in researching the records until 8:30 p.m.

 

BCGS thanks him for adding to our “education”.

 

 

Respectfully submitted by Vernetta Lange – Recording Secretary

 

 

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