The Jamison family is hoping its story will be one for the record books.

Make that three for the record books.

When the Elgin-born triplets entered the world in January 1956, their births came over a period of three days – 68 hours of labor. They believe that’s the longest labor for triplets, and they’re aiming for a spot in Guinness World Records.

“It’s not so much for us,” Christine Berdeguez-Jamison said. “It’s more for our parents, even though they are not here.”

Robert and Louise Jamison had 11 children in all – the triplets being the eighth, ninth and 10th.

Berdeguez-Jamison is the oldest of the triplets, who grew up in the small community of Blaney, now Elgin.

Their birth certificates show that Berdeguez-Jamison was born on Jan. 2, 1956, followed by her sister Catherine Jamison Able on Jan. 3, and their younger brother Calvin Jamison, Jan. 4.

The two women still live in the Columbia area; their brother lives in Kansas City. In December, the three reunited in Columbia to celebrate their 50th birthdays- one of the few times the three have celebrated together in years.

Soon they hope to have another reason for celebration.

Berdeguez-Jamison said she got the idea to submit their story to Guinness when she picked up a copy of the record book during a trip to New York several years ago.

“When we tell people that we were born on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th, they are just amazed,” she said. “So I figured if it was that amazing, I need to look into it. I was just checking (Guinness) to see if they had a story like that.”

After writing to get more information, she learned Guinness had official records for the oldest-living triplets and the shortest intervals between the birth of triplets. But there was no record for the longest intervals between births, and had there been she and her siblings had a strong chance of beating it.

Berdeguez-Jamison was born just after 3 a.m. Jan. 2. Her sister did not arrive until 10 a.m. Jan. 3, and their brother finally showed up at 9:45 p.m. Jan. 4. Louise Jamison was assisted by a midwife, but she received no painkillers throughout labor and delivery.

“She basically drank coffee and walked around between deliveries,” Berdeguez-Jamison said. “She didn’t think she was going to have three.”

Able said her friends are still amazed when they hear the story.

“They normally ask, ‘How did your mama do it?'” she said.

She sometimes wonders the same thing herself. And with five children of her own, she’s grateful that none of them were part of multiple births.

“I can’t even imagine,” she said.

The Jamison triplets were among only 410 babies born as triplets in the United States in 1956, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. But none of the three can recall their mother ever making a big deal of their unusual births.

“I wish we had asked her more questions than we did,” Berdeguez-Jamison said.

To secure a spot in the Guinness record book, the family must provide documentation, including birth certificates, a signature from each sibling and written news accounts. They’ll mail the information later this month and hope to receive confirmation soon that they have been added to the record book.

Berdeguez-Jamison said if that happens, it will be a tribute to their parents. Louise Jamison was a seamstress who worked a second job as a house cleaner. Robert Jamison was a log cutter. Both are deceased.

“They went through it, not us, in a sense,” Berdeguez-Jamison said. “It would feel good to know that the effort we put forth was successful, not just for us but for our parents.”

Staff writer Linda Lamb contributed to this story.Caption:

PHOTO: COLOR & BW1. Christine Berdeguez-Jamison, Catherine Jamison Able and Calvin Jamison at 6. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE JAMISON FAMILY

2. The Jamison triplets at their 50th birthday party. From left, Catherine Jamison Able, Calvin Jamison and Christine Berdeguez-Jamison..

3. Christine Berdeguez-Jamison, Catherine Jamison Able and Calvin Jamison in their early 30s.