Grey Gardens Gal

September 28, 2010 3:34 PM

How can I find out the exact time of Edith Bouvier Beale's birth? Would I be able to determine this from public records in New York City?
posted by hermitosis to Grab Bag (5 answers total)

Well it looks like you could order her birth certificate from the Office of Vital Records, but I don't know if they would have listed time of birth in 1917.

So, I would try hitting up the NYPL. They should be way familiar with New York birth/death records as people are often looking for that informaiton.
posted by grapesaresour at 4:34 PM on September 28, 2010

Response by poster: Thanks, I just did submit a question to the NYPL, we'll see what happens there too.
posted by hermitosis at 4:59 PM on September 28, 2010

Here's her social security number, (086-22-0520) in case that helps in your searching:
BEALE, EDITH B 07 Nov 1917 14 Jan 2002 (P) 84 10021 (New York, New York, NY) New York 086-22-0520

And I think this might work, here.
posted by nickyskye at 9:37 PM on September 28, 2010

It might be part of the ephemera in the Maysles book....or someone at the Maysles Institute might be able to help.
posted by brujita at 11:41 PM on September 28, 2010

FYI, judging from a quick look through my genealogy files, as of 1902 (in Brooklyn) and 1905 (in Manhattan), the time of birth was not listed on New York City birth certificates. I do not think this would have changed by 1917. Early 20th Century New York City death certificates do list time of death (or estimated time), though.
posted by Asparagirl at 11:58 PM on September 28, 2010