Closure

One of the meanings of closure is "a feeling that an emotional or traumatic experience has been resolved."

It took me many years of helping people find a missing family member or old friend to realize that the search was not always for a relationship but was primarily for closure.  Especially adoptees who were searching for their biological family.  I would tell them not to have any unrealistic expectations because I could not guarantee what I would find.  I learned after many such searches that what I found was not as important as the closure, or knowing the truth.  "The truth would set them free."  I  understood that living with the unknown about one's identity creates a void in their life and that even though that void may be suppressed, that void can eat at them like a cancer.   

People who know their identity, their medical history, and their heritage can probably not begin to relate to what it is like to not know these things.

After many years of searching for biological families for adoptees I understood their pain and sometimes their anger.  They never had a choice of who would raise them or who would be their adopted family.  They had no choice of the environment they would be raised in.  Even though adoption was intended to be "in the best interest of the child" this was not always the case.   I learned that adoptees were often victims of laws that were not always in their best interest. 

Before 1950 there were no adoption laws or regulations in Tennessee.  A mother could hand over her baby to anyone she wanted to.  In one case the mother paid the landlord the rent with giving the landlord one of her babies.  

ABANDONED

During and after the depression it was not uncommon for mothers to leave their babies on a doorstep or on a church pew in hopes that a good family would raise the child.  Unfortunately the abandoned babies had no identity, no date of birth, no record of their existence so they were assigned the date they were found as their birth date.  There were foundling hospitals set up to take care of the abandoned babies.  In one room there might be as many as 50 babies with only one nurse to feed them and take care of them.  As the babies grew and were able to sit up in their cribs they would rock back and forth as if someone was rocking them.  It was a horrible experience for these babies.   They never had anyone to bond with and they eventually were put in foster homes.  The older kids were loaded on to a train and as the train made stops the children stepped off the train and people would pick the child they wanted and that's how those children were adopted.  Farmers would pick the biggest boys that could work in the fields.  The kids were used for labor, and were not necessarily treated like a member of the family.  

TCHS

Prior to 1950, the Memphis branch of the Tennessee Children's Home Society was accused of being a "Black Market Baby Selling Racket".  There are many stories about the children that were "sold" thru that organization.  I was hired to research this home for an author who wanted to write a book about it.  I went to Memphis and researched the TCHS - Memphis Branch.  I followed the trails and uncovered some of the secrets.  The book was published and a movie was made based on the book.

 Adoptees were denied the right to know their own identity, their medical history, and their heritage.

As a result of doing so much research and also of learning the adoption process and where all the records were located in various court clerk's offices, archives, archive libraries, and other places I wrote a book to help adoptees and biological families know how and where to search for information.  I also became a lobbyist at the Tennessee Legislature and was successful in having some changes made to the Tennessee Adoption Laws.  Several years later some other lobbyists were successful in having the Tennessee Adoption Laws changed to "Open Records" that allowed people to request and open their records.  It was one of only six states that had "Open Records".  The other states would not allow anyone to obtain information. I believe that adoptees should have the right to know their own identity and that to deny them of this was a form of victimizing them.

OPEN ADOPTIONS

After many years of helping adoptees and biological families become reunited and understanding the fears and frustrations and heartaches they endured, I believed that Open Adoptions were in the best interest of all parties involved.  No more secrets, no more living with the unknown, no more fears by the adoptive parents that the biological family would take their child from them, no more feelings of guilt and regret by the birth mother.  The biological family and the adopted family were allowed to meet and know each other and in many cases they became more of a team that had only the best interest of the child at heart.  In some cases they merged into one big happy family.  I believe that Open Adoptions are healthy for all involved.  I cannot imagine how it must have been for a birth mother to never know who was raising her child, or whether the child was being abused, or all the other things a birth mother might think about.  No doubt most birth mothers lived with guilt and regret and their reason for searching for their child was for peace of mind to know that she made a decision that was in the best interest of her child.  To know the child had a good loving home was very comforting.  But to actually know how the child is doing, and visiting with the child, seeing photos of the child, hearing how the child is growing up, being able to answer any questions the child may have or that the adoptive parents may need is priceless.  I am so glad for all involved that they have a choice of an Open Adoption.

Problems and Solutions

FINDING A FATHER

The request to find a father is the most requested search I receive.  Unfortunately many children grow up without even knowing who their father is and in my opinion this can be a root to the problem of why so many children grow up with pain and an anger problem that leads to many other problems. 

Of course this is not a problem for everyone who is raised without a father, but there is somewhat of a pattern of behavior for certain types of children who grow up in a fatherless home.

It seems there is a pattern of behavior for some children who are raised by a single mother who has to work and the child is left alone.  There is no role model or example for the child to be guided by.  The child is not taught respect, responsibility, or religion.  The term "latch key kid" is given to the child who comes home to an empty house and basically has to take care of himself or herself.  In some places "latch key kids" are also referred to as "throwaway kids". 

IRRESPONSIBLE SEX THAT RESULTS IN AN UNPLANNED PREGNANCY:

Is irresponsible sex when two people have sex just for pleasure without any care or thought to the consequences if a pregnancy occurs?   Is unprotected sex that leads to an unplanned pregnancy being irresponsible for that baby's life?  

When an unplanned pregnancy occurs with unmarried parents who becomes responsible for the medical expenses involved in the birth of the baby?  Who will pay to support the baby?  Who will take care of the baby?  Who will love the baby?  What will happen to the baby?

Unwed mothers who keep their babies without any way to provide for the child may not be prepared for the responsibility they will be facing.  Some unplanned pregnancies will result in abortion or adoption.  Years ago some mothers would choose abandonment.  

RESPONSIBILITY:

Who is responsible for bringing a baby into the world with no way of supporting the child?  How many unwed mothers solely depend on Welfare and free handouts to raise their child or children?  How many men father children and never contribute a penny toward their support?  How many men father children and know they are fathers but never see the child or do anything to help raise the child?  How many men father children and never feel responsible for doing anything for the child? 

It is not uncommon for an unwed mother to not know or identify the father of her child.  She does not put the father's name on the birth certificate and she does not draw any child support.  Some men may not even know they have fathered a child.  The birth certificate may say "Father Unknown".  

THE STATISTICS OF CHILDREN FROM FATHERLESS HOMES:

These are statistics of children who are primarily being raised by a single mother who has to work in order to pay her overhead and expenses as well as single mothers who may be absent much of the  time and the child is left alone with no one to teach respect, responsibility, or religion.  The child has no role model, no one to look up to as an example, and grows up feeling like no one really cares about them.  They don't feel loved or wanted.  

This is only my opinion but it seems to me that some of the main problems with society stems from the fact that 50% of all marriages are ending in divorce;  50% of all children in the U.S. are being raised by a single parent (primarily their mother); and *50% of these children being raised by a single mother may not know the absent parent - their father.  

*These are the children I am most concerned about because statistics show that these children are more likely to have the following problems and these problems are directly affecting society:

• 63% Suicide
• 85% Behavioral Problems
• 90% Homeless & Runaways
• 71% High School Dropouts
• 80% Commit Rape due to Displaced Anger
• 70% Juvenile Institutions
• 85% Prison
• Alcohol and Drug Problems
• Greater and earlier sexual activity
• Girls are more likely to become pregnant
• Boys have more aggressive behavior
• Girls have more anxiety and depression
• More antisocial behavior
• Poorer educational performance/school suspensions
• 2 out of 5 children in America do not live with their father    

Can it possibly be that having irresponsible sex that leads to an unwanted pregnancy that brings a child into the world that is left to raise themselves and feels that no one cares about them leads to anger that results in wanting to hurt others; anger that leads to breaking laws and committing criminal acts; anger that results in violence and destruction?  Is the anger we are seeing today in the behavior of so many rioters and protesters really the result of being from a fatherless home?  If there was a survey done among all the angry people who are protesting and rioting, how many would be from a fatherless home?  Is this really the root of the problem?

To those innocent babies and children who became victims of an unfair upbringing, who were unloved, mistreated, abused, or otherwise had a very sad childhood, I want to say I know it wasn't your fault that this happened to you.  I understand your pain and why you are angry.  But the best way to release pain and anger is by forgiveness, not by harming anyone else.  Taking out your anger on others is not going to solve the problem.  Try to forgive in order to let go of all the anger and pain, and once you truly have forgiven those who caused you the pain and anger, you will feel like a boulder has been lifted off your shoulders and you will feel a sense of peace like no other.  Your attitude will change and you will begin to feel positive about your life and your future.  Don't let the pain and anger take over or control your life.  It will hurt you more than it will hurt others and it won't go away.  Forgiveness will lead to freedom.  Believe that God is in control, not you.  God created you and Jesus was sent to die for everyone's sins.  It's never too late to change your way of life, your way of thinking, and to turn everything around.  

IS THERE A SOLUTION?

What is the solution for so many unplanned and unwanted pregnancies?  What is the solution for teaching and training parents to be prepared and responsible?  Who is responsible for teaching and training children about the other 3 R's "respect and responsibility and religion"?  Would it help if young children in kindergarten and elementary school were taught these 3 R's?  I realize that in today's society it is almost impossible to teach about religion for fear of offending someone.  I do think everyone needs to respect the rights of others to believe whatever they choose to believe and no one should be forced to believe a certain way.  Having the freedom of choice is not something everyone has.  So if public schools are not being allowed to teach religion, can they at least teach respect and responsibility?  What if small children were given classes of what to prepare for when they become adults and parents?  I really believe some good training programs are needed that teach kids what they are not being taught at home about respect and responsibility.  Maybe there are some good television shows for kids that teach right from wrong.  I don't watch kids TV shows so am not sure what they are teaching.  All I know is that somewhere along the way kids are growing up without respect and responsibility and certain people have a mindset that they are entitled to free handouts therefore they have no motivation to be responsible for anything.  Giving people free handouts can result in enabling them to lack respect and responsibility.  This does not apply to everyone......of course there are exceptions and of course there are people who truly deserve help.

SEARCHING FOR A FATHER:

The child may not know the name of their father but there is a slim chance the father may be identified and located thru a DNA test.  Finding a father is not going to solve all their problems.....it is basically only going to give them closure by answering some of their questions.  Living with the unknown about their own identity can lead to other problems that may cause their life to become out of balance.  

Finding their father may not be what they hope for but I believe the truth will set them free.  Free from the "unknown".  It seems that knowing the truth will help to fill a void in someone's life.

Over the years I have helped many people find their father and the one thing I tell them is to not have any unrealistic expectations.  What I find may not be what they hope for....... but it is better than living with the "unknown".  Sometimes the "unknown" can eat at you like a cancer.

May God bless all the children who were unloved, unwanted, and abused.

  

Male Adoptee Reunited with Birth Mother

Recently a 50 year old male adoptee was reunited with his birth mother.  The adoptee was a musician and had played a few years ago at a concert.  At the concert he met another musician.  After meeting his birth mother he learned that the other musician at the concert was his brother. 

WANTED!!! WOMAN BORN 7-14-1946, UNION COUNTY HOSPITAL, NEW ALBANY, MS.

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.

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.

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.

Norma Tillman
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

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.

Living In Fear of a Stalker

Recently someone asked me to locate a stalker.  In the 1970's the stalker had threatened her life and made her life so miserable that she moved far away from her hometown in hopes the stalker could not or would not find her.  When she moved, she left all her family and friends behind but now wanted to return home.  She has had some serious medical problems and is now all alone.  Before she can return she needs to know where the stalker is located.

It did not take me long to find a trail of the stalker, but was shocked to find that the stalker died in the 1980's.  The victim of the stalker had been hiding and in fear for many years.  Had she known the stalker was dead, her life could have been different.  She could have returned to her hometown many years ago.  She would have had less stress and maybe avoided a heart attack.  Maybe she was afraid of the unknown or in denial.....but it might have made her life better if she had checked on the whereabouts of the stalker sooner.

When I contacted the victim to tell her the stalker is deceased she was immediately relieved.  She is now planning to return to her hometown and will try to find some old friends.

If you or someone you know is living with the unknown or in fear of someone and you need to know where that person is, regardless of the situation or the outcome, I believe the truth will set you free.

Victims of Divorce

Sadly in the U.S. 50% of all marriages are ending in divorce and 50% of all children are being raised by a single parent.  50% of these children may never know the absent parent - primarily their father.

Fatherless children are at very high risk of becoming a statistic:

85% will more than likely have a behavioral problem
71% will more than likely become a high school dropout
63% will more than likely commit suicide
70% will more than likely be in a juvenile institution
90% will more than likely run away and become homeless
80% will more than likely commit rape, due to displaced anger
85% will more than likely end up in prison

Here is the problem:
2 out of 5 children in the U.S. do not live with their father.

What is the solution?

Researching Your Ancestors

There is so much information available to trace your ancestors.    The search can be extremely time consuming and is sometimes frustrating, but when you find each piece of your family puzzle it is such a thrill.

Of course not everyone has much information to begin with......especially someone who was abandoned or someone who was adopted and is unable to obtain their identity.

Having a correct name to search for is vital.  Knowing that not everyone spelled their names the same way allows you to search by sound.  Soundex is a coding system that was developed so that you can find a surname even though it may have been recorder under various spellings.

If you are serious about searching for your ancestors you might want to sign up for a subscription to Ancestry.com.  Ancestry.com has some free searches, but more information is available if you are a member or subscriber.

Understand that census records are only released every ten years and the last one released was 1940.  Current census records are not available until they are seventy years old.

The Social Security system was originally The Social Security Act which was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 8/14/35.  Taxes were collected for the first time in January 1937 and regular monthly benefits started in January, 1940.  Not everyone paid into Social Security...there were other pension funds for people who worked for the government, people who worked for the railroad, and of course farmers and others who were self-employed may or may not have paid into Social Security.  There is a Social Security master death index available for those who paid into Social Security and their family received a death benefit when they died.  

Finding a death record can be helpful in tracing your ancestors.  It can lead to other information including their survivors.

Giving your family the gift of knowing about their history and ancestors is priceless.  If you have not done this, or don't have time to do this, why not hire a professional to do the search for you?

Fatherless Children

Have you ever thought that there may be a pattern to why kids turn to drugs or alcohol, or why kids have behavioral problems, or why kids run away or drop out of school?  Have you ever thought about crime statistics?  Have you ever heard of a cry for help?  Instead of trying to figure out who to blame for all the problems we need to figure out what to do to prevent the problems.

Some of the main problems with society today stems from the fact that 50% of all marriages are ending in divorce and 50% of all children in the U.S. are being raised by a single parent, and 50% of these children may never know the absent parent - primarily their father.  I don't mean that all children who are raised without a father will have the same problems.  But the chances are more likely that children being raised by a single parent will end up home alone while the parent works. Without a role model, discipline, or supervision, these children will more likely have some serious problems.  Who is teaching them about respect, religion, and responsibility?  Does anyone care what happens to these kids?

Kids don't run away from a happy home.  They run away because they are abused, unloved, or feel unwanted.

These statistics of fatherless children are alarming:

63% - Suicide
85% - Behavioral Problems
90% - Homeless & Runaways
71% - High School Dropouts
80% - Commit Rape due to Displaced Anger
70% - Juvenile Institutions
85% - Prison

Alcohol & Drug Problems
Greater and earlier sexual activity
Boys are more likely to have confused identities
Girls are more likely to become pregnant
Boys have more aggressive behavior
Girls have more anxiety and depression
More antisocial behavior
Poorer educational performance/school suspensions
2 out of 5 children in the U.S. do not live with their father

For information on how to find a father:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDFXAxAvDEYlcUc7K0SnKxQ/feed

Adoption Records - Non-Identifying Information

*Norma Tillman is the author of:  "The Adoption Searcher's Handbook".  In the 1990's  she became a lobbyist at the Tennessee Legislature and was successful in having the adoption laws changed, however it was several years later that another group of lobbyists were successful in having new laws for Open Records.  Tennessee is one of six states that now have "Open Records".

Some jurisdictions are more restrictive about the release of information from adoption records. New York, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island require the person seeking non-identifying information to register with the State adoption registry. In Pennsylvania, non-identifying information is available through a 

registry or the court or agency that handled the adoption. Guam requires a party to petition the court before any information can be released.

Non-identifying information generally includes medical and health information about the child and the child’s birth family at the time of the adoptive placement. Alabama, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, and Wyoming statutes allow adoptive parents to request that the State adoption registry contact birth parents when additional health information is medically necessary.  In Georgia, any medical information about the birth family that is received by the department or placing agency must be provided to the adult adoptee.

Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Adoption Records - Obtaining Identifying Information

*Norma Tillman is the author of:  "The Adoption Searcher's Handbook".  In the 1990's  she became a lobbyist at the Tennessee Legislature and was successful in having the adoption laws changed, however it was several years later that another group of lobbyists were successful in having new laws for Open Records.  Tennessee is one of six states that now have "Open Records".

REQUESTING IDENTIFYING INFORMATION

Identifying information is information from the disclosure of adoption records or elsewhere that may lead to the positive identification of birth parents, the adopted person, or other birth relatives.

Identifying information may include current or past names of the person, addresses, employment, or other similar records or information. Statutes in nearly all States permit the release of identifying information when the person whose information is sought has consented to the release. (4)

 If consent is not on file with the appropriate entity, the information may not be released without a court order documenting good cause to release the information. A person seeking a court order must be able to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that there is a compelling reason for disclosure that outweighs maintaining the confidentiality of a party to an adoption. (5)


(4) New Jersey, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, and Guam require a court
order for release of identifying information. The Virgin Islands requires a court order for
release of information to any person other than the adult adopted person. Statutes in
Puerto Rico require a court order for release of any information from the adoption records
to interested parties.

(5) A compelling reason might include, for example, a serious medical condition requiring
a blood relative or genetic link, or access to medical records.

This article was originally published by the Child Welfare Information Gateway.

The Rights of Unmarried Fathers

The Rights of Unmarried Fathers

In recent decades, the significant percentage of births to unmarried parents (1) has led to an increased
focus on the fathers of these children. Referred to as alleged, presumed, reputed, or putative fathers, many of them seek recognition of their legal rights and expanded roles in raising their children.

Constitutional Rights

Historically, unmarried fathers have had fewer rights with regard to their children than either
unwed mothers or married parents. Over the past several decades, unmarried fathers have challenged
the termination of their parental rights under the Fourteenth Amendment in cases in which birth
mothers relinquished their children for adoption. In a series of cases involving unmarried fathers, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the constitutional protection of such a father’s parental rights when he has established a substantial relationship with his child. The court found that the existence of a biological link between a child and an unmarried father gives the father the opportunity to establish a substantial relationship, which it defined as the father’s commitment to the responsibilities of parenthood, as demonstrated by being involved or attempting to be involved in the child’s upbringing.(2)

(1) Births to unmarried women have made up more than 40 percent of total U.S. births
each year since 2008 according to the National Vital Statistics Reports from the Centers on
Disease Control and Prevention (see Table C, page 9, at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/
nvsr62/nvsr62_01.pdf).
(2) Stanley v. Illinois, 405 U.S. 645 (1972); Quilloin v. Walcott, 434 U.S. 246 (1978)

More information:
https://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/statutes/putative.cfm

To find statute information (laws) for a particular State, go to:
https://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/state/

This article was originally published by the Child Welfare Information Gateway.

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

Norma Tillman's Website

Norma Tillman's YouTube Channel

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

Norma Tillman's Website

Norma Tillman's YouTube Channel

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

Norma Tillman's Website

Norma Tillman's YouTube Channel 

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

Website

YouTube Channel

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.