Do you happen to know?

Question

I was born in 1959 in Alabama. I know that's when the dinosaurs roamed but please, if anyone can tell me or how I can obtain info about how the adoption processes were back then.

There are so many stories told about my birth and I don't know squat - the time of birth; my weight at birth nor who delivered me--- I was born at home.

Did docs come to rural areas?

What was the likely procedure?

Is there any way I can find my original birth certificate if possible?

When the documentation is sealed what does that mean?

No, there's no one I can ask. My adoptive parents are deceased. My birth mom -- I don't trust her answers. My birth father is God knows where and I am not even sure if the name my birth mother gave is correct.

Answer 1

Why can't you trust your birth mother's answers? It would seem to me she would know the answers to all these questions...

Answer 2

These situations didn't just happen back then, our daughter was not born in a hospital and her BC wasn't created until she was over the age of 4 and living in a foster home.

We have had bone scans and a few other tests to verify her age, but so far nothing disputes it. She is very tall...and the dentist said her teeth showed her as older...

All we know it that she was born on a snowy night at a cabin in a certain year....  according to mom... No one knew she was alive until her brother was born, and mom went to the hospital for his birth....

......so even in this day and age these things can happen.

Answer 3

I would join www.reunion.com because they have a message board especially for you called Adopted Children seeking their Birth Parents. There are expents who work for free on this message board and if you are willing they publish your story if you find your birth parents. This is the only site I know who does this kind of specialized work. I have a close friend trying to do the same thing but his birth parents were in California. It depends on the laws of the state.Good Luck!

Answer 4

My best friend was born and adopted in Alabama in the late 1950's, as well.  She received her original birth certificate.  I don't want this to scare you, but just be aware that this is part of how they used to do things -- her birth certificate has the word "Illegitimate" stamped on it 17 times.  That's how much stigma there was for someone born to an unwed mom.  

Anyway, get your birth certificate.  It may not have your first father's name on it, but it should have all the usual stuff on it such as time of birth, weight, who attended the delivery and all that good stuff.

Here's the link to Alabama's Department of Public Health, Vital Records.  About 1/2 way down the page it gives you instructions on ordering your original birth certificate.

http://www.adph.org/vitalrecords/Default...

Answer 5

Justine you can get your OBC. Here's information on how to order it:

http://adopteerights.net/nulliusfilius/?...

You'll get the following:

"#  The applicant will receive a copy of the original birth certificate clearly marked that it is not a certified copy and it may not be used for legal purposes. Note that the information on the birth certificate in the file is shown as it was provided by the birth parent(s) at the time of birth.

# The applicant will receive copies of all other documents in the "sealed file" which often include the legal documents from the court where the adoption or paternity determination took place or other legal documents for a legitimation. These files do not contain medical or other information about the birth parents."

In your state, "sealed" means that there are two records - your OBC and your revised birth certificate. Only certain people are allowed access to the sealed records, but as it's your record, you're one of them.

As far as the adoption process itself, I'd guess it was the same as a lot of us from the BSE. Did you read 'The Girls Who Went Away'? This Alabama adoptee group may have people  who could give you more info:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BAMAdopt/

Answer 6

I can not tell you much but take the name your bmother gave you and go to : Roots Web SSDI, check  it with the name you were given to see if he's listed or not, hopefully not. ~  Listen to the rest of the folks on here,they will steer you in the right direction.