Hi, Adoptions are always very interesting research problems. First of all Nashua is in Hillsborough County, not Rockingham. NH Adoption records aren't that hard to access. You will need to write the Probate court in Hillsborough County (contact info in 1993 was: P. O. Box P, 19 Temple St., Nashua, NH 03061 603-424-7844), and petition the court to have a copy of the adoption record released to you. Where this is your grandfather, it should not be a problem. I don't know if there is a fee (there probably is), but I have heard that it is a fairly easy process. The probate court will not let anyone just come in and look at adoption records. Last year I asked at the Rockingham County Probate office if they could even check the adoptions to see if my husbands gt-grandmother was adopted, and they refused. (Very odd since she was born in 1864). It seems that in Rockingham County they are kept seperate from the other probate records. Also, as of the 1st of this year, persons who were adopted can get a copy of their original birth certificate by writing for it from the state. However, since his birth was prior to 1900, these birth records are available to the public to search for free (if you can go to the State Vital Records in Concord), and his original birth record is probably under his birth name. I don't know when they started sealing adoptive children's records in NH , but I don't think it was until after 1900. (I am going to the NH Vital Records on the 18th and would be happy to take a look for this birth. If that would be helpful, let me know.) If you write them the fee is $12/record. Sorry if I am rambling, but I hope something here is helpful. Mary Ellen Plaistow, NH

Hi Mary Ellen, I'd just like to add to your information that Middlesex County in MA is very similar. I went through the process about 4 years ago for my grandmother. And, I had to provide good, solid evidence that I was related to the woman I wanted the Adoption Record for ! This included her Death Certificate, my mother's Birth Certificate, and mine, etc. And, from my research, I typed up a 3-page document describing my grandmother's Adoptive family. This was from an 1892 Adoption. She was reportedly a "foundling" in Boston in 1889. But, 3 generations of people have tried to find a Birth Certificate for her, and one just doesn't exist. (And, this includes a Certificate which "should have" been filled out at her Adoption.) Betty (near Lowell, MA) (My research shows that my grandmother was probably a grandchild of the Adoptive parents. I think that their married daughter in CT had an "unwanted pregnancy" in the "summer of 1888." (She had a 7-year-old son.) And, her parents had moved from CT to MA in 1886, and I think she came up to Boston and "arranged" for her baby to become a "foundling." Then, at some point, the DEXTER's (an older couple) brought the baby into their home.) (Unfortunately, my grandmother went back to an orphanage in 1899 (or before). The Adoptive mother died and the Adoptive father got sick. She spent until Age 20 in "homes.") (A much longer version of this story is on the MA and CT Lists.) ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, May 03, 2006 8:15 PM Subject: Adoption in NH > Hi, > Adoptions are always very interesting research problems. > First of all Nashua is in Hillsborough County, not Rockingham. > NH Adoption records aren't that hard to access. You will need to > write > the Probate court in Hillsborough County (contact info in 1993 was: P. > O. > Box P, 19 Temple St., Nashua, NH 03061 603-424-7844), and petition the > court > to have a copy of the adoption record released to you. Where this is > your > grandfather, it should not be a problem. I don't know if there is a fee > (there > probably is), but I have heard that it is a fairly easy process. > The probate court will not let anyone just come in and look at > adoption > records. Last year I asked at the Rockingham County Probate office if > they > could even check the adoptions to see if my husbands gt-grandmother was > adopted, and they refused. (Very odd since she was born in 1864). It > seems that > in Rockingham County they are kept seperate from the other probate > records. > Also, as of the 1st of this year, persons who were adopted can get a > copy of their original birth certificate by writing for it from the > state. > However, since his birth was prior to 1900, these birth records are > available to > the public to search for free (if you can go to the State Vital Records > in > Concord), and his original birth record is probably under his birth name. > I > don't know when they started sealing adoptive children's records in NH , > but I > don't think it was until after 1900. (I am going to the NH Vital Records > on > the 18th and would be happy to take a look for this birth. If that would > be > helpful, let me know.) If you write them the fee is $12/record. > Sorry if I am rambling, but I hope something here is helpful. > Mary Ellen > Plaistow, NH > > ______________________________