Greene: It’s never too late to get a birth certificate

Prior to Tuesday, Edison Pilgrim Crawford did not exist; at least according to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Crawford was born one of 15 children to James Monroe Crawford and Polly Jane Morris on a Bacon Hollow farm in Dyke in the early 1950s.

That information is certain as the family Bible says so. From there, however, it gets trickier.

Since no hospital was involved in the birthing, no birth certificate was issued, even though the state code has had a law on the books requiring a certificate of birth for each live birth since March 12, 1912.

Tuesday’s establish boundaries hearing in Greene County Circuit Court sought to rectify that.

Crawford’s attorney, L. Dayton Haugh of Charlottesville, said Friday he wasn’t sure why his client needed the certificate at this stage in his life but believed it was needed for either Social Security, Medicare, or both.

In addition, Crawford’s driver’s license states his year of birth as 1951.

According to his oldest sister, Geraldine Crawford Foley – who signed a September 6, 2023, notarized affidavit in Carroll County, Maryland where she now lives – her brother was born on July 11, 1952. The affidavit states that to Foley’s knowledge Edison was born in 1952 because other siblings were born in years around that time.

"Paige was born in 1950 while Dennie was born in 1951 and James, in 1953,” Foley wrote. Edison didn’t know his birthdate when he went to the DMV.

"He went with his brothers but didn’t have a birth certificate and didn’t know the year. One of the brothers told DMV it was 1951.”

Crawford sat at the defense table with Haugh, who questioned siblings Zirkle Barksdale Crawford and Paulette Crawford on the stand. Presiding Judge David M. Barredo also asked questions.

Haugh asked the court to set the true birth date "so [Edison] can get a delayed or amended or corrected birth certificate.”

Judge Barredo agreed with the rare motion, ordering the state to issue the delayed certificate.

Haugh also said the next step is to make application with the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records.