More Links and Info....
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Gem's Tips, Hints and more Links

Tip #1~It is best to write to agencies, doctors, attorneys etc. instead of calling, but if you must call, then try this. Put a smile on your face when making the call and no matter what happens during the conversation, keep it there. Your attitude and tone of voice come through as more appealing. Try it with a friend. It really works.

Tip #2~If you are going to write a letter, make it sound and look as professional as possible. No one will take you seriously if you sound like a dunce, can't spell or end your sentences with prepositions. Go to the library and get a book on "how to write letters." Learn the proper way to address your Congressmen (women) and Senators. No matter what you REALLY want to call an attorney, they are always addressed as Esquire IE: Mr. John Smith, Esquire. You will call a Judge, The Honorable Judge So‘n So.

Tip #3~Try to form some kind of personal relationship with the person/people with whom you are speaking or writing. Make them remember you as a nice, friendly person.

Tip #4~Keep a note book and a calendar with it. In the book, keep all the information you have on your birth, adoption, etc. in this one place, at your fingertips. Put all your original important papers in a fireproof lock box of some kind. Just in case my puter crashes, I also keep hard copies of letters that I write. On the bottom of each, I make a note to myself when to F/U (follow up) on the correspondence and then add that to my calender. If I have not received an answer by that date, I make a call, asking if they received my letter.

Tip #5~When writing for any information, ALWAYS send a SASE. You are more likely to get an answer to your inquiry a lot faster.

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Really Easy Definitions

Non Identifying Information ~ Information that will not give you anything that makes it easy to find your birthparents or child. Depending on who is giving you the info, you will (probably) not get birth family names, birth cities and states, schools or exact birth dates. However, there are always exceptions. See my previous page under Florida Adoption Records for a list of questions you can ask.

Birth Indexes ~ A birth index lists everyone born in that state and the date they were born. Some states keep birth indexes that are open to the public, some do not and in some states they are not called Birth Indexes at all, but have other names such as Docket Books as in Florida. Therefore, it is important to do a little research on your particular state.

U.S. Census Records ~ Records kept by the government through 1920 are available on microfilm. Census records are protected for a period of 72 years. The next census records to be released for public access will be those of 1930, which will be made available in the year 2002. Some records are not indexed. This means you have to know what county, parish, or township you need to search. Political boundaries changed over the years so CHECK MAPS FROM THE TIME PERIOD YOU'RE RESEARCHING TO CONFIRM THAT YOU'LL BE SEARCHING THE RIGHT CENSUS RECORDS.1990 US Census Data Census takers didn't always spell names correctly. So check all the different spellings possible for that name.

Consult the reference librarian at your local public library for more information about access to the U.S. census records.

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Military Links and Information
Military Network - Army,Navy,Marines,Air Forc...
American War Library Locator System Information
Military City Online ~~ VETE ~~ SITES
NATIONAL PERSONNEL RECORDS CENTER
POW/MIA HOMEPAGE Military Adoption Registry Welcome To MilitaryUSA

If you are searching for someone who has been in the military, send a request asking for Form SF180 pertaining to military records (specify branch of service if known) to: center@stlouis.nara.gov

World War I records have been centralized at a Federal Records Center in East Point, GA.

World War II and later conflicts have been centralized at a Federal Records Center in St Louis, Missouri.

Active duty or Reserves, usually are on record in Headquarters Unit of their parent organization.

Duplicate and supplemental records relating to service personnel who have served since the beginning of World War II may also be found in regional offices of the Veterans Administration.

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The U.S. Social Security Administration will attempt to forward letters to persons whose address is unknown to you. One may send an UNSEALED letter with a cover letter which explains the relationship of the writer with the addressee and the reason you want the letter forwarded. Include the person's name, Social Security Number, birthplace, birthdate and name of parents, if known. Mail to: Social Security Administration Letter Forwarding Unit, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235

Cemetery Links
Internet Cemetery / Crematoria Directory
Cemeteries, Graveyards, Burying Grounds
City of the Silent - The Obituaries Page!

Genealogy Links
Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet
A Barrel of Genealogy Links
The Afrigeneas Homepage
Genealogy's Most Wanted
Missing Identity

***Below is a list of organizations to assist and support adoptee's and birth parents in search. Phone numbers may change. Check with Directory Assistance if necessary.

ADOPTEE'S LIBERTY
MOVEMENT ASSOCIATION

PO Box 154
Washington Bridge Station
New York, NY 10033
ADOPTION CIRCLE
401 East 74th St.
New York, NY 10021
(212) 998-0110
ADOPTION CONNECTION
11 Peabody Square
Peabody, MA 01960
(617) 532-1261
AMERICAN ADOPTION CONGRESS
PO Box 44040
L'Enfant Plaza Station
Washington, DC 20026-0040
(505) 296-2198
I.S.R.R.
INTERNATIONAL SOUNDEX REUNION REGISTRY

PO Box 2312
Carson City, NV 98702-2312
P.A.C.E.R.
POST ADOPTION CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
2255 Ygnucio Valley RD.
Walnut Creek, CA 94598
(415) 930-6680
P.A.S.T.
PROFESSIONAL ADOPTION SEARCH TEAM
PO Box 24095
San Jose, CA 95154-4095
(408) 978-5430
TRUTH SEEKER IN ADOPTION
PO Box 366
Prospect Heights, IL 60070-0366
(312) 625-4476
YESTERDAY'S CHILDREN
PO Box 1554
Evanston, IL 60204
(312) 545-6900

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If you have received your non ident. info and it has been "blacked out" with ink "after" copying, check with a local printer or photography studio to see if they can do anything to remove it or see through it. Some people have had success by gently wiping hair spray, acetone or vinegar across it with a tissue but I think that should be a last resort.

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States social security #s.

001-003: New Hampshire
004-007: Maine
008-009: Vermont
010-034: Massachusetts
040-049: Connecticut
050-134: New York
135-158: New Jersey
159-211: Pennsylvania
212-220: Maryland
221-222: Delaware
223-231: Virginia
232-236: West Virginia
237-246: North Carolina
247-251: South Carolina
252-260: Georgia
261-267, 589-595: Florida
268-302: Ohio
303-317: Indiana
318-361: Illinois
362-386: Michigan
387-399: Wisconsin
400-407: Kentucky
408-415: Tennessee
416-424: Alabama
425-428, 587: Mississippi
429-432: Arkansas
433-439: Louisiana
440-448: Oklahoma
449-467, 627-645: Texas
468-477: Minnesota
478-485: Iowa
486-500: Missouri
501-502: North Dakota
503-504: South Dakota
505-508: Nebraska
509-515: Kansas
516-517: Montana
518-519: Idaho
520: Wyoming
521-524: Colorado
525, 585, 648-649: New Mexico
526-527, 600-601: Arizona
528-529, 646-647: Utah

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You can see what a legal "relinquishment" or "sign and surrender" order looks like at: U.S. Relinquishments

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Everyone searching should develop a web page to get their personal information out to the public.
Geocities
The Web Diner will tell you where to find FREE web pages. I used AOL's Personal Publisher2 Personal Publisher. Yahoo! also offers free publishing as does Talk City Home Page .

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Visit my Chihuahua's Home Page at:
Bugsy's Closet

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