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/ >