United States of Mexico
State of Chihuahua
In the name of the Mexican Republic and as Judge of the Civil Register of this place, I make known to those who are seen presenting this and certify
That in the book #34 of the Section of Births of the Civil Register that is in my care, on page 176 (over) you will find an act of literal tone as follows:——————————————
———At the margin: #7 – Birth of the child Joseph Wilcken Pratt – At the center: – Number Seven – In Casa Grandes, Head of the Galeana District at 10 in the morning of the 17th of January of 1905, before me, Franscisco Mateus, Judge of the Civil State, appeared Mr. Helaman Pratt, of age, bachelor, laborer, originally of Utah and a citizen of Colonia Dublan, and presented a live baby boy born the 10th day of January of the same year, at 10:30 in the morning, to whom he gave the name Joseph Wilcken Pratt, illegitimate son of the testator whose name is made known by solicitation in conformity with article 84 of the Civil Code. – Witnesses were Mr. Constancio Melgarejo an Eduardo Fernandez, both of age, servants, bachelors of this area. – Read before the present company who were in agreement and signed by them. I give this faithfully. – The judge of the Civil Register. – Francisco Mateus. – Helaman Pratt. – C. Melgarejo. – Eduardo Fernandez. – Signatures. ————————————————————————–
This is a faithful copy of the original, corrected, compared and on a utility page, made at the request of interested parties for uses which their rights may require in Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, on the 8th day of the month of December of 1937. I give this faithfully.—————
The Judge of the Civil Register
Francisco Ordaz
[We don’t know why Helaman and the others were referred to as “solteros” – bachelors. Perhaps there was another old or legal meaning for that word, which is lost to us. Perhaps it simply refers to the fact that these were men who could come before civil officials, whereas a woman could not. We know that Mexico handled the polygamy problem by labeling the children not born to the first wife as illegitimate. Helaman’s first wife was still alive and living in Mexico when Daddy was born.]