Tennessee Children's Home - Memphis Branch

Adoptee From Black Market Ring Finds Family

Reported By Nancy Amons
NASHVILLE, Tenn.
More than 60 years ago, an adoption scandal rocked the state of Tennessee. In 1950, an adoption agency in Memphis was unmasked as a black market baby seller.

Related: Watch This Story

Years later, some of the children who were adopted from the Tennessee Children's Home Society are being reunited with their birth parents. They're finding answers to lingering questions that have haunted them for years: Where did I come from? Do I look like my parents? Do I have brothers and sisters?
Ann Sherman, a 63-year-old woman from New York, had no idea what secrets were about to be revealed when she asked to have her adoption records opened.
She remembers the day her records came in the mail.
"I cried. It was very emotional. When I got the envelope, I held it for half an hour. 'Should I open it? Am I opening a can of worms? Am I opening Pandora's box?'" Sherman said.
The clues in Sherman's adoption file helped private investigator Norma Tillman find Sherman's birth family. They're from the Chattanooga area.
"Ann was the oldest of 10 children by different fathers, and each of the 10 was given up for adoption, except the last one. She kept the 10th child," Tillman said.
The unsealed records show Sherman's adoptive parents in New York were misled. They were told Sherman's parents were high school graduates in their 20s of Jewish heritage. They weren't. They were Baptists, first cousins and 16 years old.
Misleading adoptive parents was a common scam by the Tennessee Children's Home Society. The parents were often wealthy couples from New York and Hollywood.
"It was reported that the babies were $5,000 and up. So these people paid for these children. And that's why they called it a baby-selling racket," Tillman said.
The woman who ran the Tennessee Children's Home in Memphis was Georgia Tann. She died while an investigation was pending. Tann's alleged accomplice was a judge who removed children from their homes and placed them with Tann, according to published reports from the time.
Many poor and illiterate mothers were tricked into giving up their children.
In 1990, Channel 4 News profiled one Nashville mother who said she was misled when she gave up her 5-month-old girl. Lucille Horton, unmarried and uneducated, signed papers she couldn't read.
"She told me it was temporary, for a foster home," Horton told Channel 4 in 1990.
It wasn't temporary. Her baby was sold to a couple in California.
Channel 4 found Horton's daughter in Los Angeles in 1990 and reunited them.
Sherman, the adoptee from New York, is still waiting for her reunion. She's talked on the phone to her biological half-sister, Sophia. They hope to meet in the fall.
For Sherman, the mystery has been solved. She knows where she came from.
"I'm very happy I found my biological family. I had been wondering about them a long time, for 63 years," Sherman said.
Most adoptees, Tillman said, are not looking for a relationship as much as they are looking for their identities.
"It's OK if she meets them; it's OK if she doesn't meet them. She's got her answers now," Tillman said.

Genealogy

Finding your ancestors can be a great gift to hand down to your children and grandchildren.  For me it was like a treasure hunt and nothing surprised me more than to learn my maternal great grandmother was listed on the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma.  I found that my paternal great great grandfather ran a hotel in Illinois and his parents were from Hempstead, NY.  There are many family members that I never knew and I'm anxious to track down their decendents.

Now I want to physically go to those places and see where my ancestors lived.

Missing Heirs

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From the time we are born until after we die the average American citizen will leave a paper trail approximately seven miles long.  There are birth records, marriage records, divorce records, property records, voter records, driver's license, vehicle registration, employment records, credit records, educational records, professional license records, military records, asset records, liens and judgments, deeds, criminal records, utility records, death records, and many other records.

Some records can be accessed online, some records may be requested in writing, some records may be found with a phone call.  Public records are at court houses, libraries, and archive libraries.  Older records may be stored on microfilm and microfiche.  It takes time to search for records.  In some cases the records may be in a database. 

Information brokers purchase public records from various sources and resell the information in a database.  There are many online databases that charge a fee to access information, and no guarantee the information is correct or updated.   It is not uncommon for outdated or incorrect information to be online.  Years ago it was possible to purchase a disk that included every listed phone number in the U.S. 

There is no one source that is going to work on every search, however Ancestry.com is a good source for historical records including census records.  Census records are only available after they are seventy years old, so don't look for current information there. 

I can help find your missing heirs. 

4. Finding A Birth Father - Locating His Date of Birth

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Part 4.

The next piece of information we need is a date of birth and that information can be found on a birth certificate, and that can be found at a state office of Vital Statistics.  The date of birth might also be found on a marriage license or a divorce record, found at local court house.  Those two pieces of information, the marriage license and the divorce record are public information, so you can go into a court house or you may call and ask and they may give you the information on the telephone.   But call first and make sure you know where you are going and what information will be there. 

Finding information can be time consuming and sometimes frustrating.  I have many years of experience and can cut the chase and find him for you if you need help.

Privacy laws protect certain information, but there are many public records available at public libraries, archive libraries, court houses, the internet, and many public offices.  Hiring a professional investigator can save you time and money because they have the knowledge and experience to know how and where to look for information.

3. Finding A Birth Father - Name Unknown

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What if the mother doesn’t know the name of the father or the full name of the father?  What if she only knew his first name, maybe she only saw him one time, one time only and she knew nothing about his family, or where he went to school, or what he did for a living?   There may not be much information to work with and the trail may be impossible to follow.  But the mother is the key to getting the information.  What she tells you is all you are going to have to work with.  Now also the mother may know of a friend who introduced her to your father.   Knowing who that friend is might be a good source of information.  But you have to ask the mother if she has any information, that’s where you are going to get the information.  It’s not going to exist on a piece of paper or public record until she gives you the name to look for.  When the father and mother first met he may have told her he was in the military, or that he worked at a certain place, or  where he was from, or something about his family.  She may have a clue, they may have had a conversation that may have a clue of where he was from or if he had a big family or a small family, or where he attended school.  She just may, without realizing it, have some information that would help lead to your father.  You can ask your mother what she knows about your father, where did she meet him, was there anyone else there that might know him?  What information can she give you that will help you find him? 

I can tell you this……there was a girl who was looking for her father and her mother had a sister, and the sister was able to tell the girl that her mother dated so and so when she was in college.  The mother had forgotten about this guy, but the girl was able to track down her father just because her aunt remembered something.  Oftentimes another member of the family may remember or have some knowledge that maybe the mother forgot, such as where the person attended school or what the person did for a living.  It’s a good idea to ask your grandmother, or an aunt or uncle, because someone else may have information. 

One thing I want everyone to know is not to have unrealistic expectations.  That is so huge.  If you have unrealistic expectations, you could be very disappointed in what you find.  So don’t worry about what you are going to find, the truth is going to set you free.  You won’t have to live with the unknown any more. 

I remember a time when this young man had been searching for his father for twenty years.  His father had a very common name, John Harris.  For twenty years the son had visited many cities and in each city he called every John Harris in the phone book, but none were his father.  That’s the only way he knew how to search.  When I first met him he brought me a picture of his father, it was a black and white photograph made in 1945 and on the back of the picture it had his father’s middle initial John E. Harris.  That was a clue, but when the son told me his parents were divorced when he was a year old, I knew there was going to be more information on that divorce record.  And sure enough, after twenty years of searching, all he needed was the divorce record.  His father had carried his baby picture for forty years and when he met his father he welcomed him with open arms.  Not every search is going to end this way, but this one did.  The father was very happy that the son found him.

I know you have a lot of unanswered questions.  I also know you need closure.  Let me help you find your father.  Finding your father will give you the answers you have been wondering about.  It’s going to give you the closure you need.  It will make your life so much better to know the truth.  Let me help you, I can probably find your father in 30 days or less.  Why are you waiting?  Why don’t you let me help you?  I’ll be glad to find your father for you.

Privacy laws protect certain information, but there are many public records available at public libraries, archive libraries, court houses, the internet, and many public offices.  Hiring a professional investigator can save you time and money because they have the knowledge and experience to know how and where to look for information.

2. Finding a Birth Father - Correct Full Name

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Part 2.

The most important piece of information you can provide is a correct full name.  A correct full name with the correct spelling is very important. 

If your parents were married and your father’s name is on your birth certificate, more than likely his correct full name is on your birth certificate.  It might be that easy to find his name.  If your parents were married there will be a marriage license that may have his full name and probably his age and possibly where he was born.  So a marriage license might lead to finding a full name and date of birth.  A divorce record will have a full name, date of birth, and maybe a Social Security number, however the Social Security number may be blacked out due to privacy laws.  Every state has an office of Vital Statistics that will have birth certificates.  Only you can have a copy of your birth certificate, or your next of kin.  If you don’t already have one, be sure to request a copy of your original birth certificate.  And if you are adopted, you may request a copy of your amended birth certificate.  The birth certificate can be found  at the state  office of Vital Statistics.  If I were you I would just look that up on the internet, just Google that state, wherever it is, Office of Vital Statistics or Birth Certificate for the state you are looking for.  I guarantee you will find it.  Marriage license may be more difficult to find because they are kept in a County Court Clerk’s Office and you may have to know the year.  It’s not impossible, and some court houses now have computer databases so they may be able to look it up easily.  Many records may be found in old record books, marriage records are everywhere.  Every county has a book with marriage records, the trick is to know which county the marriage took place in.  Marriage records can be found in a County Court Clerk’s Office.  Older records will be found in a book and will have a number, and will be in order by dates.  More currently, the last ten or twenty years might be in a database.  If you are looking for really old records, those records will probably be found on Ancestry.com.

If you are searching for a marriage license and you go into a County Court Clerk’s Office, these are public records and anyone can have access to them.  All you have to do is ask the clerk to let you see the marriage license books.  Sometimes they will be in a computer and they will offer you a computer to search.  The County Court Clerk’s Office contains public records.  Anyone can walk in and search for a marriage license.  When you go to a County Court Clerk’s Office or a public library you are allowed to make copies.  Sometimes the copies will cost a quarter or fifty cents,  or maybe even a dollar.

A divorce record may be found in a County Court Clerk’s Office in the county in which the divorce occurred, so you have to go back to that county and sometimes you have to ask which clerk’s office handled divorces in the year of your divorce so there may be several places to look.  There may be several places to look, there may be different offices.    Before you go, you may make a phone call and ask which office contains divorce records for the year in which you are searching.  Assuming the mother is still alive she will know what year the divorce took place, or an approximate year.  Also, think back, was your father in your life for your second or third?  When was the last time your father was in your life, or you last saw him?  More than likely that’s when the divorce took place…..when you never saw him anymore, or when he didn’t come around, so think of the last time you saw your father, that might be the year of the divorce.  You may have to look a range of years, five years before, or five years after.  You can find a divorce record.  The more recent the divorce, the more likely you can find it in a computer.  And you can search by the name of the groom or by the wife or the husband.  You can search by the date and the father’s name. 

Privacy laws protect certain information, but there are many public records available at public libraries, archive libraries, court houses, the internet, and many public offices.  Hiring a professional investigator can save you time and money because they have the knowledge and experience to know how and where to look for information.

1. Finding A Birth Father - Four Pieces of Information

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Part 1.

Welcome, I’m Norma Tillman, a private investigator who specializes in finding missing loved ones.  Over the years I’ve found thousands of missing persons and reunited many, many families.  I want to help you. 

Finding a father is the most requested search I receive.  I understand the need to know the unknown.  You probably have many questions:  Where is your father?  Is he dead or alive?  Does he have another family?  Why hasn’t he called or why isn’t he in your life?  There are many unanswered questions and some of those questions are probably bothering you.  I recommend you have no unrealistic expectations because regardless of what we find, the truth will set you free.  Your life is going to be much better once you know the truth.

There are four pieces of information I need to find your father.  I can almost guarantee I will find your father if you have these four pieces of information including:  his correct full name, his date of birth or an approximate age, his last known address, and his Social Security number.  That’s all it takes but knowing where to look to get those pieces of information might be tricky.  So whatever information you may have, I can help.  Let me help you find your father. 

So let’s don’t postpone that search any longer.  Maybe within 30 days you will have your father, you will have answers to those unknown questions,  and you will have closure.  So whatever information you have is where we will begin.

Privacy laws protect certain information, but there are many public records available at public libraries, archive libraries, court houses, the internet, and many public offices.  Hiring a professional investigator can save you time and money because they have the knowledge and experience to know how and where to look for information.

Locating Next of Kin

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Last week I was asked to help find any living relatives of a man who had founded a company in Nashville.  The company he founded about 70 years ago is planning to have an event and wanted to invite and honor any of his living relatives.

All I had was the founder's name.   He died in the 60's but I was unable to locate his obituary.  I found him on a 1940 census and also found when he died. A photo and  the name of his daughter was in an old newspaper article and it also mentioned where she attended school.  I hoped the daughter was still living but learned that she had died also.  So next I needed to find out if the daughter had any children but first I had to find her married name.

A book had been written about the founder and in the book it mentioned that he had two  grandchildren.  I began to search for the granddaughters and found a photo of one of the daughters  in a yearbook for a private school in Nashville.

I contacted the private school by email and explained why I was looking for one of their former students.  My email was forwarded to the Alumnae Association and I received a response saying the granddaughter was married and divorced and gave me her married name. 

Once I had a married name I contacted the court clerk's office to ask if they had a divorce record. At first I didn't think I was going to find her, but the nice clerk kept searching and found a divorce in the 70's.  I asked the clerk if she could tell me her last known address that was on the divorce record and she was able to find the old address f rom the 70's.  What's the chance the same people might own the property today? 

Sure enough after checking the property records I discovered that the granddaughter of the founder still owned the property even though she had remarried and her name was changed.

Now I had her name and address, and it didn't take long to find a phone number.  Within a few minutes of finding the information I had her on the phone.  She was very happy that her grandfather's memory was going to be honored and she and her children will be at the event.

With only a name to start with I was able to locate the living relatives of the founder of this company.
 
It takes time and persistence to locate and look thru years of death records, obituaries, cemetery records, census records, and newspaper articles.  Let me know if you need help in finding ancestors, survivors, or heirs.

Privacy laws protect certain information, but there are many public records available at public libraries, archive libraries, court houses, the internet, and many public offices.  Hiring a professional investigator can save you time and money because they have the knowledge and experience to know how and where to look for information.

Finding Your First Love

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Several years ago I was contacted by a woman who wanted to find her first love......the one she should have married and never forgot.  It had been about thirty years since she last saw him. She was very emotional and every day she would call to ask if I had found him yet.

Even though it had been thirty years and she had been married and divorced several times, she was sure that he was the love of her life and that he would be so thrilled to hear from her and know that she never forgot him. 

She did not have much information to work with and it took me several days to find him.  I wanted to find him just so she would quit calling me.

Before I begin searching for someone I tell my client not to have any unrealistic expectations.  I never know if the person I am searching for is dead or alive, or if they have a family and this might cause a problem, or if the person I find may have a health problem and this might cause complications.  I don't know what I will find, but I've always believed that people need closure, regardless of what I find and that the truth will  set them  free.

When I first make contact with someone I want to be considerate of their surroundings and always ask if this is a good time for them to talk, that I have something personal to discuss and don't want to cause them a problem.  I tell them if this is not a good time to talk to please take my name and number and call me back when it is more convenient.  I try to not upset anyone and treat others as I would want to be treated.  I try to be respectful, thoughtful, kind, considerate, and very non-threatening.  My goal is to help people, not hurt anyone. 

So I finally found the client's first love.  I called and talked to him and explained that my client had hired me to find him and she wanted to know how he was doing.  He responded with "Please promise you won't give her my phone number.......tell her I'm in a coma and not expected to live."

I really dreaded calling my client to tell her that her first love did not want to hear from her.  How would I break this news without breaking her heart?  I just knew she would break down sobbing so I wanted to be gentle.  I told her I had some good news and some bad news.  The good news was that I found her first love, but the bad news is that he is happily married and she should not contact him.  Instead of breaking down she just said, okay, will you see if you can find ???????.  Apparently she had a list of old boyfriends and she was going to keep looking for them all to see if anyone wanted to see her again.  Surprise - surprise!!!  Not the reaction I expected but at least I didn't break her heart.
 
There could be several morals to this story:

"Don't have unrealistic expectations."
"Expect the unexpected."
"You and your first love will probably not remember the same things, or feel the same way." 

More than likely the memory is better than the reality and it is probably best to leave the past alone.  Finding your first love can burst your bubble and leave you feeling worse than you felt before you began your search......but I don't deny that everyone needs closure and regardless of what you find, everything will work out okay.

Privacy laws protect certain information, but there are many public records available at public libraries, archive libraries, court houses, the internet, and many public offices.  Hiring a professional investigator can save you time and money because they have the knowledge and experience to know how and where to look for information.

Finding A Former High School Classmate

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So often we lose track of our former classmates but thanks to alumni associations it is possible to keep in touch after being separated many years.

When I was growing up there were 17 kids in my neighborhood that went from the first thru the twelfth grades at the same schools.  We spent the first nine years at Bailey and the next three years at East.

East High was a school that was fed students from three Junior High Schools, so there were lots of kids from other schools that were merged together in high school.

Those of us who grew up in the same neighborhood knew the parents and siblings of others our age.  We probably knew where the father worked, and where the families attended church.  So we had lots of clues to find someone.

But we did not know much about the students from other schools that we did not meet until high school.  We did not know the street where they lived, we did not always know other members of their family, unless it was a sibling in a class ahead or behind ours.  It was not unusual to only know someone by a nickname.  With so little information how can we find them?

Years after graduating from school we might want to look up someone that we have not seen in a long time but where can we begin if all we know is a name or nickname from high school?

With today's social media sources it is possible to find someone on the internet with only a name.  But of course a common name it is going to be more difficult.  If the person cannot be located easily on the internet the search might be time consuming.  It might require a trip to a library or archives library to look for all families with the last name of the person you are looking for.....but what if the classmate's parents were remarried and they live with a step-father or other member of the family with a different last name? 

Finding someone with only a name or partial name can be difficult.   Depending on how much information is known will determine whether or not the person can be located.

It would be nice if all you had to do is pick up the phone and call the Board of Education to ask for more information.  But unfortunately privacy laws prevent some information from being public. 

If you have tired and been unsuccessful in locating someone and need to consult with a professional, please contact me and let me see if I can help.  Privacy laws protect some information, but there are many ways to find public information at libraries, court houses, archives, and on the internet. 

Adoption Searching

After working many years and tracking down criminals I discovered that the most difficult search of all is an adoption search.  The main reason that this search is so difficult is that information is not available in most states without a court order.  Only six states have "Open Records", meaning that the adoption records may be opened if certain criteria exists.   In most states the state laws prevent adoptees or biological families from receiving any identifying information, therefore these laws are victimizing and preventing adoptees from knowing their identity.

According to a study committee at the Academy of Pediatrics it was disclosed that children need to know their identity in order to develop normally.  It is not fair to deny a child the right to know it's identity, which is what these state laws are doing.  By denying adoptees the right to know their identity these state laws are victimizing and discriminating adoptees.

What needs to be done to prevent state laws from victimizing adoptees?  Every state has a legislature that makes the laws.  Every voter votes to elect these representative to enact legislation to make laws.  Until voters make it known that they want to make changes to the laws, the legislature will assume no one is unhappy with them, and no change will take place.  For those who want to change the laws it is a fairly simple process.  Someone need to register to become a "lobbyist".  A lobbyist is a person who represents an interest group.  The lobbyist will write down what changes they would like to see done to a certain law and will then ask an elected official to "sponsor" their bill (new law).  There will need to be two sponsors, one in the House and one in the Senate.  These sponsors will then send the proposed new law to a legal division to make sure the new law is worded correctly.  Once the new proposed law is correctly written it may be distributed to each legislator.  The lobbyist will need to make an appointment and talk to each individual elected official and ask for their vote. 

If you are not happy with your state law and want to see a change, this is how you do it.  It starts with one person who does not think something is fair.  That person finds other people who agree and want to see a change.  Soon there is a group of people who support your idea and when you feel like you have enough interest and support it is time to take action.  You can hire a lobbyist or become a lobbyist.  The lobbyist is the messenger who represents the views and interests of the group.

Are you happy with your state laws?  Is there something you feel is unfair and you think there needs to be a change?  Don't just sit there, do something.  If no one does anything, nothing will happen.

Privacy laws protect certain information, but there are many public records available at public libraries, archive libraries, court houses, the internet, and many public offices.  Hiring a professional investigator can save you time and money because they have the knowledge and experience to know how and where to look for information.

Family Tree

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After many years of tracking down people for others I decided it is time for me to search for my own ancestors.  I was amazed at how much information I was able to find.  The first night I was able to trace five generations on both my mother's and my father's side of the family.  I found lots of relatives that I didn't know about and now I am thinking about actually going to the cities where they lived and looking up the places where they are buried.  For me searching for people and information is like a treasure hunt and whatever I find is like finding the "golden egg".  I plan to do more work and when I find out what countries my ancestors originated from I would like to visit those places too.  I feel  like I'm finally getting around to doing things on my "bucket list" and plan to put together a nice "family tree" for my kids and grandkids.

If you do not have your family history written down for your kids and grandkids I want to encourage you to do this.  It is a wonderful gift to leave for your family.

Privacy laws protect certain information, but there are many public records available at public libraries, archive libraries, court houses, the internet, and many public offices.  Hiring a professional investigator can save you time and money because they have the knowledge and experience to know how and where to look for information.

Finding Cheryl's Father

About a year ago I was invited to a birthday party at the home of a lady named Cheryl.  Cheryl and I had met through a mutual friend but we barely knew each other.  While I was at the party something was said about me being a PI and finding missing persons.  Cheryl said she had been looking for her father for many years and had just about given up on ever finding him.  I asked her what information she had to work with and she went inside and got some papers and photos.  She had a photo of her parents when they married about 50 years ago.  Her father was in the Navy and after Cheryl was born the parents were divorced and Cheryl did not remember ever knowing him.  She had her parent's marriage license and divorce papers.   Even though he had a very common name and his last known address was on a Naval ship, the marriage and divorce papers had some valuable information that Cheryl had not known what to do with.  The papers had his middle initial, date, and place of birth, and those were huge clues.

I started looking for Cheryl's father and soon I found him.  I called to make sure he was the right person and to ask permission to give Cheryl his contact information.  I spoke to some of his family members who relayed the information to him and told me they were all thrilled that Cheryl had found him........he had always wanted to find her also.

I went back to Cheryl's house to give her the information and within about 30 minutes she was on the phone with her father.  They talked for the next couple of hours and were soon planning a trip for Cheryl to visit him.  Needless to say this was a wonderful reunion and they have kept in touch on almost a daily basis.

From past experience I know that many people have a need to find a father or other relative or old friend.  No knowing what happened to a  loved one can cause a void in someone's life and they need answers.  Regardless of what they find, the truth will set them free.  Once the truth is found, the void is filled and most people are able to find closure.

Almost anyone can be found if you have a full name, date of birth, and place of birth.

One of my favorite resources to find information is Ancestry.com.

If you need to find someone and like Cheryl have tried everything you know how to do and need help, know that I have over twenty years of experience and a proven track record for finding and reuniting separated families.

Privacy laws protect certain information, but there are many public records available at public libraries, archive libraries, court houses, the internet, and many public offices.  Hiring a professional investigator can save you time and money because they have the knowledge and experience to know how and where to look for information.

                                               

 

 

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Searching Public Records

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There are many public records available at court houses, state office buildings, federal office buildings, libraries, and archive libraries.

For me, finding information on public records is like a treasure hunt with the information being the "treasure".

Have you ever experienced a scavenger hunt?  Maybe you had a list of things to find.  Searching public records is similar.  It is good to make a list of what information you have and what information you need to find.

Regardless of the reason for the search, there are many public records such as marriage, divorce, property, leins/judgments, bankruptcy, business information, and much more.

Some public records are accessible thru online searches, and some require you to physically go to the various locations to view them or obtain a copy.

Searching public records can be very time consuming.  A professional investigator can save time and money if you need help.

Privacy laws protect certain information, but there are many public records available at public libraries, archive libraries, court houses, the internet, and many public offices.  Hiring a professional investigator can save you time and money because they have the knowledge and experience to know how and where to look for information.

Locating a Father

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Finding a father is one of the most requested searches of all.

Fifty percent of all children in the U.S. are being raised by a single parent, primarily their mother.

Many of these children may never meet or know their father.

What is causing this problem?

Divorce - Fifty percent of all marriages in the U.S. are ending in divorce.  In some cases the parents may share custody of a child, in some cases only one parent retains custody.  Divorce may result in lots of pain and anger of the parents and the children can become the victim.  Children may not know the truth of the divorce and may be torn between parents to take sides.  If the father is absent the child may have a need to know why he is no longer in their life.  The child may need closure.

Death - Children who's father is deceased may have a void in their heart and they may have a need for closure.

Regardless of the reason why a father is not in a child's life, when the child becomes an adult there is a need to find the truth and to find closure.  Living with the "unknown" can cause lots of problems and can cause someone's life to be out of balance.

If you need help in finding a father I can help.  The average search is only $150.  

Privacy laws protect certain information, but there are many public records available at public libraries, archive libraries, court houses, the internet, and many public offices.  Hiring a professional investigator can save you time and money because they have the knowledge and experience to know how and where to look for information.

Information

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Looking for someone requires that you follow information from paper trails.  From the time we are born until after we die the average American citizen will leave a paper trail approximately seven miles long.

Many paper trails are public records that can be found at a court house, a public library, an archives library, and a city, state, or federal office.

Some records are private and laws prevent access to these records.  Bank records, medical records, and other records require either an authorization or court order to obtain.

Regardless of what you have to work with, the search begins where the trail ended with whatever you have to work with.  

Start with a list of information that you have to work with.  Do you have a correct full name?  Sometimes the name can be spelled different ways.  Do you have a last known address or place of residence?  Do you know any other relatives of this person?

A female is harder to find than a male because she may change her name.  An unusual name is easier to find than a common name.

Take your list of information and think of how many trails might exist based on what you have to work with.  Is this person listed in an old City/Suburban Directory at the library?  Did this person own property and pay property taxes?  Was this person married or divorced?  Where did this person work or attend school?  All of these are information trails that can lead to finding someone.

Following a paper trail is like working a puzzle, or going on a treasure hunt.

If you don't have time to follow a trail and need some help, let me know.  I can probably find what you need in only a few hours and not only save you time, but save you money.

Privacy laws protect certain information, but there are many public records available at public libraries, archive libraries, court houses, the internet, and many public offices.  Hiring a professional investigator can save you time and money because they have the knowledge and experience to know how and where to look for information.

Adoption Search

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An adoption search is one of the most difficult searches of all.  Only six states have open records that allow an adoptee or a member of the biological family to search for each other.

According to a study committee for the American Pediatric Association "It is vital for one to know their identity in order to develop normally."

If it is vital to know one's identity, why is this information being denied by so many states?   It seems that adoptees are victims that are basically denied the right to know their identity, their medical history, and their heritage.

A birth mother intended for adoption to be in the best interest of their child's life.  Some birth mothers were denied any information about their child.   Many birth mothers live with guilt and regret.  Biological families have a real need to know if the child given up for adoption had a good life and that adoption was in their best interest.  They have a need for peace of mind.
 
Adoptees have a real need to know their identity, their medical history, and their heritage.

An adoption search is not necessarily for a relationship.....it is primarily for identity, peace of mind, and closure.

Shame on the states that don't have open records.

Adoption searches are very time consuming and expensive, depending on what information is available.  Check with your state laws to determine if you qualify for identifying or non-identifying information, and whether or not that state has a mutual consent registry.  Be sure to sign up on the registry and request whatever information is allowed.

If you need to hire a professional to search for you, you must have certain information. 

Missing Persons

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Who is a missing person? 

• Someone that can not be found by the person who is searching for them.
• Someone missing due to foul play.
• Someone who is deliberately hiding.

Not all missing persons are missing for the same reason. 

A missing person may be a family member or old friend that no one has seen or heard from for a long time and their family is looking for them.  These types of missing persons have not done anything wrong and are not deliberately hiding.  They just don't know anyone is looking for them and they usually leave a good trail.

Someone who is missing due to foul play may be dead or alive.  Usually a missing person report is made and the police have searched for this person.  Depending on the information available and the trails left by the missing person may or may not lead to finding them.

People who are deliberately hiding may include criminals, persons wanted for collection, runaways, and others.  These types of missing person will go to great lengths not to leave a trail so they cannot be found.

In order for a professional investigator to conduct a search, certain information is required.  Most searches cost less than $500.

Privacy laws protect certain information, but there are many public records available at public libraries, archive libraries, court houses, the internet, and many public offices.  Hiring a professional investigator can save you time and money because they have the knowledge and experience to know how and where to look for information.

Finding Long-Lost Family and Friends

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For many years I worked with law enforcement and learned that tracking down a criminal who did not want to be found was quite a challenge.  The challenge for me was just to see if I could find someone that no one else could find.   Each search was difficult and thrilling, but finding a criminal was quite different from finding a missing loved one.

In 1987 I became a private investigator after being contacted by attorneys who needed to find a missing witness or missing heir.  The search was quite different from searching for criminals because these people actually left a good trail.  These people were not deliberately hiding, they just did not know someone was looking for them.

People are often separated by divorce, adoption, or simply because someone moved away and they lost touch.  The search is often for closure, and not necessarily for a relationship.

Finding and reuniting long lost family members and old friends became one of the most rewarding and fulfilling challenges I have ever experienced.  I realize the need to find a missing relative can cause someone's life to become out of balance.  I understand the need for closure to know what happened to someone or to fill a void.  I understand the need of  an adoptee to find a biological family, medical information, heritage, and the unknown about their identity.  I understand the need of a birth mother to find out that her child had a good life.....she may live with guilt and have a need to find peace of mind that her decision to relinquish her child for adoption was in the child's best interest and that the child had a good life.  I understand why someone needs to find their father. 

Regardless of the reason for the separation....regardless of whatever you find........the truth will set you free.

Privacy laws protect certain information, but there are many public records available at public libraries, archive libraries, court houses, the internet, and many public offices.  Hiring a professional investigator can save you time and money because they have the knowledge and experience to know how and where to look for information.