For MaDonna:Woodlawn Cemetery 3412 Ola Ave Tampa, FL 33603

Nancy - Thank you for the address for THOR. I've tried accessing it before and it kept giving me something like, 'no records found', or some such thing. I appealed to a volunteer who luckily answered my query and I'm waiting for a response any day now. So, I appreciate your seeing my query and taking the time to answer it...Venee

Hi,Venee, I looked at the Tombstone Project today and Hillsborough Mememorial Cemetary hasn't been put online yet. You should go to the online listings of the Tampa Tribune at the Tampa Library. You can access this by going to > http://scfn.thpl.lib.fl.us/thpl/thpl.htm and using thor. You can send for photocopies of obituaries through your local interlibrary loan program. Nancy FLHILLSB-D-request@rootsweb.com wrote: > Subject: > > FLHILLSB-D Digest Volume 00 : Issue 20 > > Today's Topics: > #1 [FLHILLSB-L] Thonotosassa Cemetery ["Jim Suit" <jcsuit@atlantic.net>] > #2 [FLHILLSB-L] obit for cousin, Herb ["David Henson" <dvhenson@neteze.co] > > Administrivia: > To unsubscribe from FLHILLSB-D, send a message to > > FLHILLSB-D-request@rootsweb.com > > that contains in the body of the message the command > > unsubscribe > > and no other text. No subject line is necessary, but if your software > requires one, just use unsubscribe in the subject, too. > > To contact the list administrator, send mail to > FLHILLSB-admin@rootsweb.com. > > ______________________________ > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Subject: [FLHILLSB-L] Thonotosassa Cemetery > Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 12:38:14 -0800 > From: "Jim Suit" <jcsuit@atlantic.net> > To: FLHILLSB-L@rootsweb.com > > There is a cemetery in Thonotosassa as I have g-grands buried there. > It took me a while to find it and not sure I can give directions to it. > It is about 2 blocks off the main street (north side) before you get to the road that goes around the lake. Seems like I turned off the main road where a convenience store is located. But am sure any of the locals could direct you there. > > Flo > > ______________________________ > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Subject: [FLHILLSB-L] obit for cousin, Herbert W Need > Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2000 21:02:17 -0800 > From: "David Henson" <dvhenson@neteze.com> > To: FLHILLSB-L@rootsweb.com > > Hi list - Can anyone supply me with the names of the newspapers in Hillsborough Co? I'm trying to locate an obit for my cousin, Herbert W NEED, and I've looked at several cemeteries online and can't find him. He died in June 1987, don't have the day. The only obits I found were the obits that have been contributed by fellow researchers, and none of them show a NEED family. Any volunteers out there who can do a lookup in a newspaper for that year to see if Herbert shows up? And does anyone know if the Hillsborough Memorial Cemetery has been transcribed yet? Tried to contact Sunny Zenglerk and my mail came back as undeliverable. > > Thank you, Venee Stuart-Henson

This is in reference to researching a t USF. The public is allowed to do research there but the main problem is arkig. I went there to do some marriage lookups and had to park in a small parking facility at the entrance to the campus and they do charge for that. To all who do not know -the library at USF has in their possesion ALL marriage records and the original certificates up to 1985. You must locate the cert# by going thru the registers that are listed by both the grooma nd the brides names so if ou don't know one you can find it by knowing the other. The ladies that work there are very pleasent and helpful. I was not charged for the copy but I asked for one cert I do not know if they will charge for numerous copies.........Hope tis helps all who researching in Hillsborough...........Denise in TAmpa

Hi, I was wanting to know about a WoodLawn cemetery in Tampa... I was told it was somewhere by Lauri Park?? I remember Mama taking me there when I was small but I have know idea where it is. Would anyone know if they are on line??? My Mother has relatives buried there and I was wanting to see if I could find them there. Thanks for any help, MaDonna

Another thought. The Tampa Library keeps Hillsborough and Pinellas county newspapers on microfilm. This is a great source for obit copies. I believe (?) that obits were indexed or there was a search feature. One obit I pulled up, while doing some volunteer research, listed some distant relatives of the deceased who resided in Tampa. As it turned out, the grave I was searching for at GoM was in the name of one of those family members. Marc ----- Original Message ----- From: <Womanola@aol.com> To: <FLHILLSB-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2000 7:59 AM Subject: [FLHILLSB-L] Researching in Hillsborough County... > Hello, > I'm planning a short trip from NC to Tampa to do some research on my Ybor > City roots. I only have 2 days there; Thursday March 23 and Friday March 24. > I'm hoping to find birth, death, marriage and immigration records. I have > family buried at L'Union Italia cemetary and at Garden of Memories. I don't > know my way around downtown Tampa very well, but a cousin of mine is willing > to drive me around one of those days. Can anyone suggest a starting point? I > found some interesting information on Ybor City's Sicilian heritage online at > the USF Special Collections library. Where is USF? Tampa? I'm going to do a > little groundwork here in Raleigh at our archives as far as census records > go... any information to help me plan my trip wisely would be greatly > appreciated! > Kindest Regards, > Amber Parker > > Surnames: ROMANO, BRUNO, TRIPOLINO, RESTIVO, VETZEL, SAUNDERS, MCKENDREE, > GASKINS > > > ============================== > Join the RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: > Linking the world, one GEDCOM at a time. > http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/ >

That's really great information on Garden of Memories and Myrtle Hill. Thanks so much for sharing that with us. As for USF, anyone can use the facilities; however, visitors just cannot check out books. A word of caution - parking is at a premium, and there are meters that must be used to visit the library. Joyce E M Whetsel wrote: > Amber, > > Garden of Memories maintains their records and the records of Myrtle Hill > Cemetery in their corporate office in St. Pete. When you go to the cemetery > for info, they call St. Pete and when someone has time, they will do a > search and call back with the info. The folks at GoM are very helpful, but > it is a huge operation and I have spent precious hours waiting for that > return call. When you only have two days, every minute counts. I suggest > that you call or write to them now. 813-626-3161 Better yet, call and get > their fax number. Fax your request for information and they frequently will > fax back everything including a map of the plots you are looking for. > CAUTION!! Many cemeteries, including GoM, keep their records filed > accorrding to who owns/owned the burial plot. Confusion occurs when one > requests information on a burial and the plot was purchased by a married > daughter, niece, nephew or grandchild with a different surname. Their > records are indexed according to plot owners. Have as many of those names as > possible available when you request burial information. > > Marriage and immigration records...that exist...are available at the > courthouse which is only a few blocks from the Hillsborough County Public > Library. The main downtown library has an entire floor dedicated to > genealogy and history of the local area. It includes the largest collection > of census records I have seen in one place. Also there is an 8 volume > INDEXED set of burial records for Hillsborough County, current to 1985 or > 1990 that I have found invaluable in locating graves in Hillsborough County. > > USF is in north Tampa, about 20 minutes from downtown. I'm not familiar with > their policies for use of their records. I was of the understanding that it > was for faculty and students. I suggest you call and verify, unless someone > on the list has better information. > > If I can be of further help, email me privately. > > Marc Whetsel >

Amber, Garden of Memories maintains their records and the records of Myrtle Hill Cemetery in their corporate office in St. Pete. When you go to the cemetery for info, they call St. Pete and when someone has time, they will do a search and call back with the info. The folks at GoM are very helpful, but it is a huge operation and I have spent precious hours waiting for that return call. When you only have two days, every minute counts. I suggest that you call or write to them now. 813-626-3161 Better yet, call and get their fax number. Fax your request for information and they frequently will fax back everything including a map of the plots you are looking for. CAUTION!! Many cemeteries, including GoM, keep their records filed accorrding to who owns/owned the burial plot. Confusion occurs when one requests information on a burial and the plot was purchased by a married daughter, niece, nephew or grandchild with a different surname. Their records are indexed according to plot owners. Have as many of those names as possible available when you request burial information. Marriage and immigration records...that exist...are available at the courthouse which is only a few blocks from the Hillsborough County Public Library. The main downtown library has an entire floor dedicated to genealogy and history of the local area. It includes the largest collection of census records I have seen in one place. Also there is an 8 volume INDEXED set of burial records for Hillsborough County, current to 1985 or 1990 that I have found invaluable in locating graves in Hillsborough County. USF is in north Tampa, about 20 minutes from downtown. I'm not familiar with their policies for use of their records. I was of the understanding that it was for faculty and students. I suggest you call and verify, unless someone on the list has better information. If I can be of further help, email me privately. Marc Whetsel ----- Original Message ----- From: <Womanola@aol.com> To: <FLHILLSB-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2000 7:59 AM Subject: [FLHILLSB-L] Researching in Hillsborough County... > Hello, > I'm planning a short trip from NC to Tampa to do some research on my Ybor > City roots. I only have 2 days there; Thursday March 23 and Friday March 24. > I'm hoping to find birth, death, marriage and immigration records. I have > family buried at L'Union Italia cemetary and at Garden of Memories. I don't > know my way around downtown Tampa very well, but a cousin of mine is willing > to drive me around one of those days. Can anyone suggest a starting point? I > found some interesting information on Ybor City's Sicilian heritage online at > the USF Special Collections library. Where is USF? Tampa? I'm going to do a > little groundwork here in Raleigh at our archives as far as census records > go... any information to help me plan my trip wisely would be greatly > appreciated! > Kindest Regards, > Amber Parker > > Surnames: ROMANO, BRUNO, TRIPOLINO, RESTIVO, VETZEL, SAUNDERS, MCKENDREE, > GASKINS > > > ============================== > Join the RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: > Linking the world, one GEDCOM at a time. > http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/ >

Hello, I'm planning a short trip from NC to Tampa to do some research on my Ybor City roots. I only have 2 days there; Thursday March 23 and Friday March 24. I'm hoping to find birth, death, marriage and immigration records. I have family buried at L'Union Italia cemetary and at Garden of Memories. I don't know my way around downtown Tampa very well, but a cousin of mine is willing to drive me around one of those days. Can anyone suggest a starting point? I found some interesting information on Ybor City's Sicilian heritage online at the USF Special Collections library. Where is USF? Tampa? I'm going to do a little groundwork here in Raleigh at our archives as far as census records go... any information to help me plan my trip wisely would be greatly appreciated! Kindest Regards, Amber Parker Surnames: ROMANO, BRUNO, TRIPOLINO, RESTIVO, VETZEL, SAUNDERS, MCKENDREE, GASKINS

hi roger - i don't know where chandler, fla is/was, but you might try one of these websites to get the information you need: florida dept of state, <http://www.dos.state.fl.us/stlib> state library websites, <http://ww.dpi.state.wi.us> state library of florida, <http://library.usask.ca> united states-official usa state libraries-library listings, <http://www.externalharddrive.com> (this site address sounded a little strange to me, so i went to it. it's legit.) have a nice day. julie thames howell, jax, fla surnames: THAMES and DUDLEY

With Womens History Month only a week away, I thought I'd pass on a site I found at the Florida State Archives. http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/barm/fsa/women'sguide.htm Deborah Byrd

Hello I have been looking on the Florida State maps on line for Chandler Florida and they have added Chandler Park, which I hope is the same. I have been looking for census information on a Mrs. Edna Sherrod and husband who's first name I don't know. They were to have lived in Chandler during the early 1900's. Could someone help me locate information on this family which was my gg grandfathers sister. I would like to find also death record or Death Certificate and place of burial for her and her husband. Her maiden name was Edna Owen born in 1856 or 57 in Kentucky. Her parents were George Washington Owen and Rebecca Ann Hendrix (ick) (s). I will greatly appreciate any help. Roger Lee Owen SOUTHPARLO@msn.com Pontiac, MI

This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------412909A2312DC02F78A0BF49 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit --------------412909A2312DC02F78A0BF49 Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000 Message-ID: <38AB379A.82D4F64B@bellsouth.net> Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 18:49:46 -0500 From: Tony and Julie Howell <tjhowell@bellsouth.net> X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.7 [en]C-bls40 (Win98; U) X-Accept-Language: en,pdf MIME-Version: 1.0 To: cgdean@bellsouth.net Subject: Re: [FLHILLSB-L] Re: Adoptions, Records and Hillsborough County References: <00b201bf7800$83eacec0$3799d4cd@BeckyStevenson> <38A9D5D4.A0338432@bellsouth.net> <38AB2A3B.80339200@bellsouth.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit i've read a lot of genealogy-related terms since starting research back in the 1970s, but i can't say i've ever heard of "the X-Mozilla-Status: 0009". what is it, please, and why would researchers want to do it? thank you. cynthia dean wrote: > Dear Julie, > I'm sure your adoptive parents were wonderful people, and it's great > that you appreciate them. But, like it or not, genealogy traces blood > lines. You are not a descendant of your adoptive parents and to list > yourself as such will only confuse researchers down the line. > > Both of my brothers have adopted children, and they don't like it that I > stopped those lines in my charts with those children. But, a person > can only appear on one genealogy chart and that is of his biological > ancestors. > > If you are doing genealogy, I hope you will indicate that you are > adopted. > > No one would suggest you associate with your biological parents if you > don't want to, but it is important to researchers who may be doing > theX-Mozilla-Status: 0009 doing your adoptive parents' lines to know the > truth. Otherwise, the genealogy is a farce. > > Cynthia --------------412909A2312DC02F78A0BF49--

There are now over 250,000 fulltext obituaries indexed and searchable by keyword at the Obituary Archive Search Engine http://www.cribbs.net/obitsearch/ This page is a satellite of The Obituary Links Page which has thousands of links to online obituary sources as well as marriage, birth, and death records, and cemetery inscriptions arranged by state and county and Canadian province. The URL for it is http://www.geocities.com/cribbswh/obit/ Bill Cribbs Search through over 500 million records and over 2000 databases at http://www.geocities.com/cribbswh/obit/ancestry.htm Genealogy Detective! http://www.genealogydetective.com/cgi-bin/affiliates/clickthru.cgi?id=cribbs wh

dear seekers - truly, by this post, i do not mean to be flip and hope that in no way is this message taken that way. i was adopted. the woman who gave birth to me, in december of 1947 in st. joseph's hospital in tampa, put me up for adoption immediately. i can tell you with no reservation whatsoever that that woman is not my mother, anymore than the man that got her pregnant - whoever he was - is my father. i was adopted by a couple in jacksonville, fla who really wanted a baby. my adoptive parents' names are the ones on my birth certificate, but it does have on there that i was born in st. joseph's hospital in tampa. this is no "fairy-tale-happy-ever-after-story". every day wasn't music and sweetness. adoption agencies (the one that handled my adoption was the children's home society) may be able, moreso these days, to match possible "birth" parents' eye and hair color, etc. but they can't now, and couldn't then, match basic personalities, etc. my mom and dad really had their work cut out for them...i wasn't the easiest kid to raise - real independent, headstrong, etc. even personal choices...mom loved pink, i hated it. mom loved balerinas, i was a tomboy. mom and dad were "straight a" students all the way through college, i hated school. but there were, in retrospect, more things that were good than not. mom and dad were the ones who changed my diapers, fed and clothed me, took care of me when i was sick, taught me about God and heard my prayers, put up with my temper tantrums, shared my joys and held my children and my children's children. there was a time in my life when i toyed with finding my birth mother. i even made a few half-hearted attempts. and, only about 10 years ago i thought i'd give it one more try, due to some medical questions i had. the children's home society came up with some "biological profile" that was supposed to be about my birth parents. they came up with this, of course, after having interviewed me extensively about various aspects of my life and personality (i didn't make the connection at that time what they were doing, but figured it out later). the biological information they had was ridiculous. i realize that all children don't look exactly like their parents, but they said that both of mine were about 5'6" to 5'7", blond hair, hazel eyes, fair complexion, average to light frame, etc. well, i can tell you that my big boned dark complexion very dark brunette hair very brown eyes and 5'8" self doesn't buy their "parent profile" for a second! and they couldn't find a THING on my good old birth 'mom and dad'....oh, except of course that they were "good people" from "very nice families". i guess one thing i've never really figured out is, supposing you are doing genealogical research on your adoptive surname and you do find out who your "birth" parents are. where do you go from there? do you stop researching your adoptive surname, research them both, or what? why would you want to find, much less research, a family who didn't want you in the first place? this is the part, like i said at the beginning of my message, that i truly hope no one thinks i'm being flip. i really don't understand why so much weight is given to finding the birth parents. i've even heard of children who were put up for adoption trying to force reunions with birth parents! anyway, one of the things the children's home society told me was that i supposedly had a half-brother (i've always loved that term, "half-something". it always makes me wonder which half i'm related to) who, coincidentally, grew up about 30-40 miles from me. i did contact him; didn't look, talk, think, act, etc. a thing like him, and decided we weren't related. he pretty much felt the same way. he was born in tampa, too. don't remember if he said which hospital, but he wasn't adopted right away and lived in an orphanage in tampa/the tampa area until he was about 8 when he was finally adopted. have any of you ever seen the television special about the "orphan trains" during the - i think - early 1900s? that's a story that will really astound you! julie thames howell, jax, fla surnames: THAMES and DUDLEY Herb & Becky Stevenson wrote: > Thanks for the information! My mother went down to Tampa Florida in 1956 > (or possibly late 55, or early 57) and had a baby at Tampa General Hospital > and gave it up for adoption. Her name was Thelma Amy Young, and she was > from Jackson Center, Shelby County, Ohio. She stayed with a brother down in > Tampa until the baby was born, and then came back home to Ohio. I'm > searching for this half-sibling, and have come to a dead end. That's why > I'm on this list--hoping to glean any info I can. Tampa General claims that > all the records during that time have been destroyed, because they were too > old to read anymore. Any ideas? > > Thanks again. > > Becky L. Oglesbee Stevenson > -----Original Message----- > From: E M Whetsel <mwhetsel@worldnet.att.net> > To: FLHILLSB-L@rootsweb.com <FLHILLSB-L@rootsweb.com> > Date: Saturday, February 12, 2000 5:50 PM > Subject: [FLHILLSB-L] Re: Adoptions, Records and Hillsborough County > > >Deborah and Listmembers, > > > >Perhaps I can offer some general information and thoughts on the adoption > >issue and Hillsborough County. > > > >Regarding adoption in General, I think the most important thing I can say > to > >anyone interested is not to immediately give up and believe that ALL > >RECORDS ARE SEALED. This is not true. > > > >While it is pretty much standard today, some legal jurisdictions, at > various > >times in history, did not seal adoption records. Some court systems only > >sealed them when the presiding judge ordered them sealed. If the presiding > >judge failed to pronounce that order during the adoption hearing and the > >clerk did not remind him, the record was not sealed. > > > >Every person searching for adoption information should learn from an > >experienced courthouse researcher what information might be available from > >the different departments in each jurisdiction. It is not enough to ask to > >see a sealed file, be refused, then give up. In the state of Pennsylvania, > >the office of the Prothonotary records every civil action. While doing some > >random searches of 1950-1990 civil documents in a PA courthouse this past > >summer, I stumbled onto information regarding three separate adoptions in > my > >paternal line. I honestly couldn't believe my eyes. Out of curiosity I > >checked for the actual adoption records and they were sealed! However, all > >information was available in other documents. Having a lot of curiosity and > >a little time, I continued to search records prior to 1950 and found two > >more adoption cases that were not sealed, both from about 1940. Both files > >contained information as to why the children were placed for adoption and > >there were signed statements in the files from birth parents! > > > >Regarding Hillsborough County, there were, indeed, many homes for orphans > or > >adoptable children, most run by the state, church or sometimes private. > Some > >were good, some weren't so good. Remember that Pre-Disney, Tampa was the > >only "major" city in FL other than Miami. An unwed or widowed mother can > >find anonymity in a city that can't be found in rural areas such as > Hernando > >or Pasco Counties. No one "back home" would have to know. As a former state > >employee who was frequently involved in adoptions, I can say that there is > >still a tendency to do this. The surrounding rural communities frequently > >send their children to Tampa and Tampa sends their children to other > cities. > >Pinellas County (St. Petersburg, Clearwater) has always had a small tax to > >fund child welfare programs, including adoption. Their services are > >unequaled, in my opinion. > > > >There is also a tendency for northern mothers to come to Florida to have > >their baby, place him or her for adoption, then return to the north. A > young > >mother would not stop in the rural communities looking for services and > >assistance. She would go on to Tampa, Orlando, Miami or Jacksonville. I > have > >an adopted friend whose birth mother came from a town outside of Boston, > had > >her baby in Clearwater, placed him in a home/orphanage in Tampa and went > >back to Boston...perhaps to create as much distance as possible. Another > >friend's mother was from Chicago, left her baby in a hospital and went back > >north. For those curious, one of the two has been reunited with his birth > >parents. > > > >For those who are searching for their parents...or their child, I wish you > >the very best. There is information out there somewhere that will help you > >in your search. Don't take no for an answer. > > > >Marc > > > > > > > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: Deborah Byrd <dbyrd@lightcom.net> > >To: <FLHILLSB-L@rootsweb.com> > >Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2000 2:08 PM > >Subject: [FLHILLSB-L] Help finding sites and information > > > > > >> As webmistress for the Hillsborough Genweb site, I get a fair amount > >> of questions about adoptions in Hills. county. Not living anywhere > >> near the east coast or Florida, I am at a loss for information to help > >> those seekers. > >> > >> If anyone has general information to share about adoptions in Florida > >> and Hills county in particular and if you feel comfortable sharing > >> that information please contact me. I would like to add that to the > >> Hills. county genweb page. Also if you know of any web sites that > >> help adoptees and birth parents find each other please forward them > >> to me. > >> > >> I had no idea that so many people were adopted out of Hills county. > >> My two Georgia counties and Hernando county don't have anywhere near > >> this amount of traffic on adoptions. Did Hills. county have a number > >> of foundling homes and orphanages in the early to mid 1900's? > >> > >> Deborah Byrd > >> > >> > >> ============================== > >> The RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: > >> 12.8 million individuals and counting. > >> http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/ > >> > > > > > > > >============================== > >The RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: > >12.8 million individuals and counting. > >http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/ > > > > ============================== > Free Web space. ANY amount. ANY subject. > RootsWeb's Freepages put you in touch with millions. > http://cgi.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/acctform.cgi

Thanks for the information! My mother went down to Tampa Florida in 1956 (or possibly late 55, or early 57) and had a baby at Tampa General Hospital and gave it up for adoption. Her name was Thelma Amy Young, and she was from Jackson Center, Shelby County, Ohio. She stayed with a brother down in Tampa until the baby was born, and then came back home to Ohio. I'm searching for this half-sibling, and have come to a dead end. That's why I'm on this list--hoping to glean any info I can. Tampa General claims that all the records during that time have been destroyed, because they were too old to read anymore. Any ideas? Thanks again. Becky L. Oglesbee Stevenson -----Original Message----- From: E M Whetsel <mwhetsel@worldnet.att.net> To: FLHILLSB-L@rootsweb.com <FLHILLSB-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Saturday, February 12, 2000 5:50 PM Subject: [FLHILLSB-L] Re: Adoptions, Records and Hillsborough County >Deborah and Listmembers, > >Perhaps I can offer some general information and thoughts on the adoption >issue and Hillsborough County. > >Regarding adoption in General, I think the most important thing I can say to >anyone interested is not to immediately give up and believe that ALL >RECORDS ARE SEALED. This is not true. > >While it is pretty much standard today, some legal jurisdictions, at various >times in history, did not seal adoption records. Some court systems only >sealed them when the presiding judge ordered them sealed. If the presiding >judge failed to pronounce that order during the adoption hearing and the >clerk did not remind him, the record was not sealed. > >Every person searching for adoption information should learn from an >experienced courthouse researcher what information might be available from >the different departments in each jurisdiction. It is not enough to ask to >see a sealed file, be refused, then give up. In the state of Pennsylvania, >the office of the Prothonotary records every civil action. While doing some >random searches of 1950-1990 civil documents in a PA courthouse this past >summer, I stumbled onto information regarding three separate adoptions in my >paternal line. I honestly couldn't believe my eyes. Out of curiosity I >checked for the actual adoption records and they were sealed! However, all >information was available in other documents. Having a lot of curiosity and >a little time, I continued to search records prior to 1950 and found two >more adoption cases that were not sealed, both from about 1940. Both files >contained information as to why the children were placed for adoption and >there were signed statements in the files from birth parents! > >Regarding Hillsborough County, there were, indeed, many homes for orphans or >adoptable children, most run by the state, church or sometimes private. Some >were good, some weren't so good. Remember that Pre-Disney, Tampa was the >only "major" city in FL other than Miami. An unwed or widowed mother can >find anonymity in a city that can't be found in rural areas such as Hernando >or Pasco Counties. No one "back home" would have to know. As a former state >employee who was frequently involved in adoptions, I can say that there is >still a tendency to do this. The surrounding rural communities frequently >send their children to Tampa and Tampa sends their children to other cities. >Pinellas County (St. Petersburg, Clearwater) has always had a small tax to >fund child welfare programs, including adoption. Their services are >unequaled, in my opinion. > >There is also a tendency for northern mothers to come to Florida to have >their baby, place him or her for adoption, then return to the north. A young >mother would not stop in the rural communities looking for services and >assistance. She would go on to Tampa, Orlando, Miami or Jacksonville. I have >an adopted friend whose birth mother came from a town outside of Boston, had >her baby in Clearwater, placed him in a home/orphanage in Tampa and went >back to Boston...perhaps to create as much distance as possible. Another >friend's mother was from Chicago, left her baby in a hospital and went back >north. For those curious, one of the two has been reunited with his birth >parents. > >For those who are searching for their parents...or their child, I wish you >the very best. There is information out there somewhere that will help you >in your search. Don't take no for an answer. > >Marc > > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: Deborah Byrd <dbyrd@lightcom.net> >To: <FLHILLSB-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2000 2:08 PM >Subject: [FLHILLSB-L] Help finding sites and information > > >> As webmistress for the Hillsborough Genweb site, I get a fair amount >> of questions about adoptions in Hills. county. Not living anywhere >> near the east coast or Florida, I am at a loss for information to help >> those seekers. >> >> If anyone has general information to share about adoptions in Florida >> and Hills county in particular and if you feel comfortable sharing >> that information please contact me. I would like to add that to the >> Hills. county genweb page. Also if you know of any web sites that >> help adoptees and birth parents find each other please forward them >> to me. >> >> I had no idea that so many people were adopted out of Hills county. >> My two Georgia counties and Hernando county don't have anywhere near >> this amount of traffic on adoptions. Did Hills. county have a number >> of foundling homes and orphanages in the early to mid 1900's? >> >> Deborah Byrd >> >> >> ============================== >> The RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: >> 12.8 million individuals and counting. >> http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/ >> > > > >============================== >The RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: >12.8 million individuals and counting. >http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/ >

Here is the web address for the Florida newspaper project. http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/flnews/ Deborah Byrd

You're right, I 'm sorry. I was apparently misinformed about this. Here is the newspaper link here, but as usual they charge the regular $1.95 rate for acticle copies. Recent obits are free. <A HREF="http://tampatrib.com/">Click here: The Tampa Tribune</A>

Who are David and Barb? I went to the site you mentioned below and wrote an email to the library, and they told me they don't look up obituaries. Cynthia BARLYNN22@aol.com wrote: > Both David and Barb can check with Hillsborough County library for obituary. > They are online @ > http://scfn.thpl.lib.fl.us/thpl/thpl.htm > access "thor" , type in name your looking for. Small fee for copy of obit. > David, I don't recall there being a cemetery in Thonotosassa, so you really > need the obits to find out where they were buried. > Or call the library @ 813-273-3652 > Barb > > ============================== > Search ALL of RootsWeb's mailing lists in real time. > RootsWeb's Personalized Mailing Lists: > http://pml.rootsweb.com/

Venee - The principal papers I know of are The Tampa Tribune and the Plant City Courier. Haven't lived there for a long time so there may be others. Check with your local library -- they may have a reference listing all newspapers. Also, they may be able to get, on microfilm, The Tampa Tribune for that month and year through the Interlibrary Loan system. The Tampa-Hillsboroug Co. Public Library has an ongoing project to index online obits and historical articles from their newspaper holdings. It is called Tampa-Hillsborough Online Resources (THOR) and be found at the following URL: http://scfn.thpl.lib.fl.us/ . You could also try the USGenWeb Archives: Florida Table of Contents at http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/fl/flfiles.htm. It has a Hillsborough Co. page on which several cemeteries are listed, but as yet not the one you mentioned. Hope this helps; Sim