I just opened my mail -- and have a Marriage Record (1930) in Cuyahoga County, OH (Cleveland) for George Young, age 27 and Matilda Schneider, age 23, the biological grandparents of my adopted children. The marriage ended in divorce within six years -- after the birth of two children -- and the family does NOT talk about George Young. It has taken me YEARS to get enough information to DO any research. Matilda remarried -- to Frank Ryan -- he adopted the children -- and we have a puzzle that has been a brick wall. According to the marriage record I'm holding -- George Young was born in Frankfort Kentucky about 1903 -- his parents were Gilbert Young and Susie Woolums. Up until tonight, I thought that George Young was born in Michigan -- but this marriage record that shows his birthplace in Frankfort, Kentucky is finally providing us a clue we can research. This is probably the beginning of a long search -- and I'm just posting this tonight because I'm EXCITED -- and there's no one to talk to here (my husband died in 2002 -- or he'd be doing the Happy Dance with me! I also received an obituary for an unwed Mom in MY family -- that had married surnames for her granddaughters, but that's another story -- just a darn good day -- and I'm sharing it with you!) The HIATT family story is that grandfather George Young was a Native American -- and certainly, my children do look as if they had that heritage. I am interested in documenting the history of their family -- for our 11 grandchildren. I know NOTHING about searching in Kentucky -- we're lucky in Cuyahoga County to have a Historical Marriage Index, on line, for free -- and once I finally learned the NAMES of the grandparents, I sent for the document. I did expect to get a photocopy of the APPLICATION -- which would have given a lot more info -- instead, this RECORD is more of an abstract -- all typewritten. Ptui. Tomorrow I'll deal with it. meanwhile -- if anyone is miraculously interested in this same historical family -- I'll be THRILLED. Or if some kind Gene-angel will head me in the right direction for Kentucky research, all advice will be gratefully received. I'm willing to do the work -- just too excited tonight to figure it out. AND I keep hoping for miracles! (which is what happened once I'd documented 3 generations of HIATT -- and then we were linked to the full ten generations back to William Penn's second ship of Quaker immigrants. Ahhh. All documented. By Bob's 4th cousin Lynn Messina, in Indiana, Bless Lynn for finding Bob's ONLY first cousin and introducing us before both Bob and Burt died.) I have met the nicest people while researching family history! I do some genealogy volunteer work here -- and will take digital pictures of headstones here if someone needs that. Warm regards, Karen King Hiatt in cold Cleveland OH