Searching for a woman who may be an identical twin that was taken at birth and given up for adoption without the knowledge or consent of the mother. It is possible that this child was given to the Memphis branch of the Tennessee Children's Home Society (TCHS) for adoption.
For many years (1920-1950) Georgia Tann worked both in Mississippi and Tennessee with children who were adopted. After being run out of Mississippi she became the director of the TCHS in Memphis and it was believed that in order to have wealth and power she took children from their mothers anyway she could get them and then sold the children. The children were victims of kidnapping and abuse, and most lived horrible, nightmare lives. Their birth records and adoption records contained false information and the records were hidden and believed to be destroyed, but in working on many searches I was able to find the missing records. They do exist even though some of the information contained in them is probably inaccurate or false.
Around 1950 Georgia Tann was under investigation for her adoption scandal but died of cancer before she was prosecuted. After this investigation new adoption laws and regulations began in Tennessee.
Over the years I have worked on many adoption searches for adoptees and biological families and was hired to research the TCHS for a writer who published an article and a book about the TCHS. The book was made into a movie.
It is possible that the woman I am seeking may have been one of these children. Please share this information and if you know of anyone who was born on this date, at this location, please contact me immediately.
At this time I have found 40 women with this date of birth who lived in Mississippi. Some are deceased, some have moved away, and some are still there. I am in the process of contacting them. Only 34 babies were born in Union County, Mississippi in July of 1946 so there is a slim chance that if this person exists, I will be able to find her.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Saturday, February 28, 2015
The Search for Marisol Hill
Marisol Hill was born in the 1970's and lived in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Gladys Hill was a screenplay writer, actress, and assistant to famous movie director, actor, and screenplay writer John Huston. John Huston and Gladys Hill lived and worked in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
John Huston directed 37 movies and was nominated for 15 Academy Awards. Some of his famous movies were The Night of the Iguana, The Maltese Falcon, The Misfits, The Asphalt Jungle, and The Man Who Would Be King.
Gladys heard about a baby who had been abandoned by her mother and was staying in the home of a woman who had several children. Gladys visited this home and saw that this baby was being kept in a box under a bed and was malnutritioned. The woman who was keeping the baby didn't want her and gladly turned her over to Gladys, who took the baby to a doctor. The doctor admitted the baby to the hospital and Gladys would go to visit the baby every day. After a while the baby was showing signs of improvement and Gladys took the baby home with her.
Gladys was a divorced woman, 60 years of age, when she began caring for the baby that she named Marisol Hill. As Gladys became more attached to the baby she referred to her as her daughter.
Marisol was about four years old when Gladys had to go to New York to work on "Annie" and left Marisol in Puerto Vallarta in the care of Maricela Hernandez, the "housekeeper" of John Huston.
Gladys was found dead in her New York hotel room. It took a few years but finally the court determined that Marisol could inherit part of Glady's estate, but by then no one knew where Marisol was......that is no one would tell. Apparently Maricela Hernandez knew what happened to her, but would not tell......she did not want Marisol to receive her inheritance.
Maricela Hernandez lived in Beverly Hills, CA and was contacted to ask for help in finding Marisol, but she refused and none of Maricela's family would help either.
Without a trail to follow, sadly, poor Marisol never received her inheritance.
Gladys Hill was a screenplay writer, actress, and assistant to famous movie director, actor, and screenplay writer John Huston. John Huston and Gladys Hill lived and worked in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
John Huston directed 37 movies and was nominated for 15 Academy Awards. Some of his famous movies were The Night of the Iguana, The Maltese Falcon, The Misfits, The Asphalt Jungle, and The Man Who Would Be King.
Gladys heard about a baby who had been abandoned by her mother and was staying in the home of a woman who had several children. Gladys visited this home and saw that this baby was being kept in a box under a bed and was malnutritioned. The woman who was keeping the baby didn't want her and gladly turned her over to Gladys, who took the baby to a doctor. The doctor admitted the baby to the hospital and Gladys would go to visit the baby every day. After a while the baby was showing signs of improvement and Gladys took the baby home with her.
Gladys was a divorced woman, 60 years of age, when she began caring for the baby that she named Marisol Hill. As Gladys became more attached to the baby she referred to her as her daughter.
Marisol was about four years old when Gladys had to go to New York to work on "Annie" and left Marisol in Puerto Vallarta in the care of Maricela Hernandez, the "housekeeper" of John Huston.
Gladys was found dead in her New York hotel room. It took a few years but finally the court determined that Marisol could inherit part of Glady's estate, but by then no one knew where Marisol was......that is no one would tell. Apparently Maricela Hernandez knew what happened to her, but would not tell......she did not want Marisol to receive her inheritance.
Maricela Hernandez lived in Beverly Hills, CA and was contacted to ask for help in finding Marisol, but she refused and none of Maricela's family would help either.
Without a trail to follow, sadly, poor Marisol never received her inheritance.
Friday, February 20, 2015
Adoptees Need to Know Their Identity
Approximately 127,000 children are adopted each year in the U.S. Adoptees have a need to know their identity. Only six states have "Open Adoption Records" that allow adoptees to have their records open so they may know their identity, medical history, and heritage.
According to a study committed from the American Academy of Pediatrics, "It is vital for one to know their identity in order to develop normally." Why aren't courts, adopted parents, lawmakers, and others made aware of this? Why are adoptees denied the right to their own information?
Shame on the state lawmakers who deny adoptees the right to know their identity or have access to their records. Because of antiquated laws and lawmakers who don't care or don't understand, adoptees must live with the "unknown" about themselves and this is unfair and unjust. Adoptees are victims of the law.
And shame on any adopted parent who makes an adoptee feel guilty if they want to know about their biological family. Adoptees are victimized by their adopted parents when this happens. Many adoptees feel guilty that they want to know their identity and many wait until the adopted parents are deceased to begin searching for their identity or their biological family. Social workers, adoption agencies, judges, courts, and others should be required to explain to an adopted parent that their child may have a real need to know their identity so the child is not victimized.
Not only is there a need for an adoptee to know their identity but what about a birth parent who may live with guilt and regret over the decision to give up their child for adoption without ever knowing whether their decision was in the child's best interest? Biological families often have to live with the unknown about the child. This can be a traumatic experience.
Forcing adoptees to live with the "unknown" is like putting a curse on them. Obviously they have a real need to know the truth, and regardless of what the truth may be, the truth will "set them free" from the "unknown".
Unless you have experienced being denied the right to information about yourself, you probably don't understand what this feels like and how this can potentially cause someone's life to become out of balance. In some cases living with the "unknown" is like a cancer eating at you. It causes a void in your life, and that can lead to your life becoming out of balance.
Adoptees had no choice in the decision for them to be adopted. They have done nothing wrong and don't deserve to be victimized and punished by uncaring lawmakers. What is the solution? I believe nothing will change or be done unless someone takes action by becoming a lobbyist and making your elected officials aware of your concerns. If no one complains it is assumed that everyone is okay with the laws the way they are.......but if enough people will start a petition, hold town meetings, and invite lawmakers to listen to their concerns, laws can be changed.....and records can be open and availble to those who need this information. There are many search and support groups in the country, but not many will actually take action to change the adoption laws of their state.
In the 1980's I became a lobbyist in the state of Tennessee and spent several months talking individually to about 140 lawmakers and explaining my point of view on the adoption laws. The law was changed after that, but a few years later another group became lobbyists and spent a couple of years convincing the lawmakers to open the records and now Tennessee has some of the best adoption record laws in the country. This proves that one person can make a difference. If your state laws are unfair and need to be changed, why aren't you doing something? If you are affected by these laws and don't do anything to change them, then you are part of the problem.
According to a study committed from the American Academy of Pediatrics, "It is vital for one to know their identity in order to develop normally." Why aren't courts, adopted parents, lawmakers, and others made aware of this? Why are adoptees denied the right to their own information?
Shame on the state lawmakers who deny adoptees the right to know their identity or have access to their records. Because of antiquated laws and lawmakers who don't care or don't understand, adoptees must live with the "unknown" about themselves and this is unfair and unjust. Adoptees are victims of the law.
And shame on any adopted parent who makes an adoptee feel guilty if they want to know about their biological family. Adoptees are victimized by their adopted parents when this happens. Many adoptees feel guilty that they want to know their identity and many wait until the adopted parents are deceased to begin searching for their identity or their biological family. Social workers, adoption agencies, judges, courts, and others should be required to explain to an adopted parent that their child may have a real need to know their identity so the child is not victimized.
Not only is there a need for an adoptee to know their identity but what about a birth parent who may live with guilt and regret over the decision to give up their child for adoption without ever knowing whether their decision was in the child's best interest? Biological families often have to live with the unknown about the child. This can be a traumatic experience.
Forcing adoptees to live with the "unknown" is like putting a curse on them. Obviously they have a real need to know the truth, and regardless of what the truth may be, the truth will "set them free" from the "unknown".
Unless you have experienced being denied the right to information about yourself, you probably don't understand what this feels like and how this can potentially cause someone's life to become out of balance. In some cases living with the "unknown" is like a cancer eating at you. It causes a void in your life, and that can lead to your life becoming out of balance.
Adoptees had no choice in the decision for them to be adopted. They have done nothing wrong and don't deserve to be victimized and punished by uncaring lawmakers. What is the solution? I believe nothing will change or be done unless someone takes action by becoming a lobbyist and making your elected officials aware of your concerns. If no one complains it is assumed that everyone is okay with the laws the way they are.......but if enough people will start a petition, hold town meetings, and invite lawmakers to listen to their concerns, laws can be changed.....and records can be open and availble to those who need this information. There are many search and support groups in the country, but not many will actually take action to change the adoption laws of their state.
In the 1980's I became a lobbyist in the state of Tennessee and spent several months talking individually to about 140 lawmakers and explaining my point of view on the adoption laws. The law was changed after that, but a few years later another group became lobbyists and spent a couple of years convincing the lawmakers to open the records and now Tennessee has some of the best adoption record laws in the country. This proves that one person can make a difference. If your state laws are unfair and need to be changed, why aren't you doing something? If you are affected by these laws and don't do anything to change them, then you are part of the problem.
Norma Tillman
PI License #686
PI Co. License #846
www.NormaTillman.com
NT-007@hotmail.com
PI License #686
PI Co. License #846
www.NormaTillman.com
NT-007@hotmail.com
Norma Tillman
Author/Private Investigator / Speaker
Norma Tillman Enterprises
Hendersonville, TN
615-440-3836
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Birth Father Found
It has been a very challenging search, but finally the birth father is found. A few years after his son was adopted the birth father married another woman and had another son and a daughter. He told his wife and children about the son he fathered but never met. He did not know about that son until after he was adopted. It was something he did not forget and something he wanted to share with his family.
Recently I found the birth mother and she met her son for the first time. He asked about the father and was given a name and very little information to work with. The birth father had been in the military and had a fairly common name, which makes it difficult to find him. The birth mother estimated his age and remembered where he was born.
So all I had to work with was a common name, an estimated age, and a state where the father was born. I searched and searched and found many men with that common name, but finally I found the right one.
Over the years I have helped many adoptees find their biological families, and many biological families find adoptees. It is one of the most difficult, challenging, and rewarding searches I have ever worked on. I have learned that there is a real need for an adoptee to know their identity. Their search is not necessarily for a relationship with the biological family, but rather a search for unanswered questions about themselves. In many states adoptees are denied the right to know their identity and many have spent their entire lifetime searching for answers.
It might surprise you to know that there are an estimated 127,000 babies adopted in the U.S. each year. Many are coming from other countries and I am afraid those kids may never be able to trace their identities.
Fathers are often denied rights to their children and this is a separate topic, but one that needs to be addressed, and the laws of many states need to change to allow fathers, adoptees, and biological families the right to obtain information and the right to know the "unknown". Living with the unknown can cause someone's life to become out of balance and it just isn't fair.
Recently I found the birth mother and she met her son for the first time. He asked about the father and was given a name and very little information to work with. The birth father had been in the military and had a fairly common name, which makes it difficult to find him. The birth mother estimated his age and remembered where he was born.
So all I had to work with was a common name, an estimated age, and a state where the father was born. I searched and searched and found many men with that common name, but finally I found the right one.
Over the years I have helped many adoptees find their biological families, and many biological families find adoptees. It is one of the most difficult, challenging, and rewarding searches I have ever worked on. I have learned that there is a real need for an adoptee to know their identity. Their search is not necessarily for a relationship with the biological family, but rather a search for unanswered questions about themselves. In many states adoptees are denied the right to know their identity and many have spent their entire lifetime searching for answers.
It might surprise you to know that there are an estimated 127,000 babies adopted in the U.S. each year. Many are coming from other countries and I am afraid those kids may never be able to trace their identities.
Fathers are often denied rights to their children and this is a separate topic, but one that needs to be addressed, and the laws of many states need to change to allow fathers, adoptees, and biological families the right to obtain information and the right to know the "unknown". Living with the unknown can cause someone's life to become out of balance and it just isn't fair.
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