Hello,
My name is Marie Whittaker (Green) and I am looking for any information on birth records for a man named Kenneth Hazen Whittaker who was born in Valentine Nebraska in 1904, possibly April 28th. He was my grandfather. I have a lead on his mother, and if it's correct, her name is Minnie (Minnis) Whittaker, who would have been born in Wisconsin around 1874. Kenneth Hazen Whittaker's father was possibly an immigrant from Ireland. Any information would be a really big help!
Thank you!

Hello, saw your query and dug into it. I find that Minnie R. Stevens married Edward Clarence Whittaker. Minnie is the dau. of Elisha D. Stevens(1827-1897) and Maria Smith.
Elisha is buried Arcadia, Valley, NE. Minnie's sibs include:
Adelaide, Olive, Frederick, Charles,Edward, Arda, & Grant.
The marriage is short lived and ends in divorce. Edward then marries Blanche Blackburn.
I am guessing here that Edward is the son of William H. Whittaker and Ellen Hicks. William is buried Springfield National Cem, Springfield, Greene, MO. He is a Civil War vet.
Edward C. Whittaker died May 1961.
Jean

Thank you so much for your information! I am having quite the time with this because I have no records of Kenneth Hazen Whittaker's birth, only census records that kind of line up with where he was at certain dates. I have conflicting information about Minnie Whittaker as well. I have found information that says her maiden name was possibly James. Would you please tell me what system you found this information on? I really need to verify Minnie's maiden name. Sorry about all the question.
Thanks again!

Hello, Maria, On the 1910 census, Minnie R. is m. to Edward C. Wittaker, son Kenneth H. is son, in Denver.
On the 1920, they are divorced and Edward is married to Blanche. Note on the 1910, which is the ideal census,
it states pob, parents pob. Minnie R. was born in WI, father born in CT, and mother in NY. Go back in time to the 1880 and 1885, and you find Minnie R. born WI, father Elisha, born CT, and mother Maria, born NY. Time and locations all match.
Kenneth's SSDI has b. April 4, 1904, d. Dec. 1969.
Blanche was half Edward's age.
Still looking for the 1900 and any bio's available.

Hi Jean!

Thank you for the info. I found some of the census reports you referenced. Looks like Kenneth H. was born in Valentine Nebraska, but it's tough to get a look at any records around 1903... Valentine is a really small place and I was thinking about calling town hall there to get some direction for a copy his birth record. You are very kind! Thank you so much for your help.
Marie

I was in Valentine not too long ago. There is a historical society building on the main hwy through town. Maybe if you google it or go to usgenweb for Cherry co. you can find some contact information. The birth records pre 1904 will probably be at the county level, maybe the courthouse.
Also you may want to look for Minnie's death cert. in Denver.
Jean

Hi Jean,
I just got off the phone with the Valentine county clerk and she said that all the birth records have been moved to Lincoln because of a fire. I will see if I can find a number for the historical building there too though. I am sending a request for birth information to vital records in Lincoln as well. I would love to have a copy of his actual birth record. My dad spent a long time in an orphanage growing up, and it would be great to be able to give him his father's records finally. I'll go look for Minnie's death info.
Thank you!
Marie

Birth certificates were not required in Nebraska before about 1914, and most births before that were not recorded in Cherry County, NE. Best results might be church records of baptism if known what church they might have belonged to.
Also I believe there is a list of events that were copied out of old newspapers on file at the Historical Society her in Valentine that might list some births.
Address: Cherry County Historical Society,
P.O. Box 284
Valentine, NE 69201

The Historical Museum is open on a seasonal basis, and then only about 3 days a week.
Martin