How do I find someone....in another state..Chicago Heights?!?

Question

My mother had 9 brothers and sisters.They moved to Alabama from Chicago Heights (prolly in the late 50's-60's).Her madien name was Nix...father was William and mother was Eula....when they moved to AL the oldest child Helen,was already married and had a child of her own.She stayed back in Chicago and after a few yrs the family lost contact her.

Fast forward to the 80's...my aunt moves to TX and becomes a cop.She had Helens social number and everything and couldnt find her.She tried again in 1989..still nothing....Its like she just dropped off the face of the earth. She had to of changed her identity for my aunt not be able to find her from her social.It didnt say she was alive,dead,nothing...

Its been YRS now.My grandparents have passed My mom has and 2 other siblings.I never knew the aunt in Chicago but always heard stories about her and wanted to see what happened to her.

How can one find her..if my aunt couldnt...does anyone have a chance?

Answer 1

Unfortunately, the most "recent" census available online is from 1930, so it appears that isn't going to be of any help.  (I did look for William and Eula on Ancestry, there are a couple entries)...

We'll need to look at public records to figure out the answer to the family mystery!

Do you know what Helen's middle name (or at least her middle initial) might have been?  There are MANY Helen Nix's on Ancestry, so it would help to narrow those records down by middle name/initial, by estimated birth year and birth location if possible...

Have you tried www.zabasearch.com?  You didn't provide her married name or her child's name, but there are several Nix's (and even a few Helen Nix's) in that area...  Perhaps you could look up the names you know for sure on Zabasearch, and come up with a name or two to contact.

Have you tried www.findagrave.com or www.interment.net?  It is possible she'll be listed if she has already passed.

I wish I could offer further help, but without a name I'm stuck!

I hope that helps for now...  email me if you would like to provide more info that I could use to search further.

Added the next evening:

Thanks for posting more info, I've been searching (wish we could get an exact surname!).  This site contains a photo of a Helen Nix from Illinois, do any of these people or names look familiar?:  alicefluegge.com/hicks_family.pdf

Added later:  I'm coming up with no marriage records for Helen Nix and anyone named James or Jimmy.  Zero census records including a Eula Nix (maybe she didn't marry William until after 1930).  Many census records with a William Nix, and none has a spouse named Eula.

I did find this possible William-Eula marriage record in an online index at http://www.genwed.com/cgi-bin/addrbook.c...

Groom: william nix

Bride: eula margaret

Marriage Date: sept 1944

City:

County: jefferson

State or Province: al

Country: usa

This info found at http://www.idph.state.il.us/vitalrecords...

A number of resources are available for individuals doing genealogical research using vital records filed in the state of Illinois. Births and deaths before January 1, 1916 and marriages before January 1, 1962 are recorded only in the office of the county clerk where the event occurred. Most county clerks have indexes to the records that are prior to 1916 that are available for the purpose of genealogical research.  Uncertified, genealogical copies of death records of persons who died more than 20 years ago, but not prior to 1916 may be requested either from IDPH or from the county clerk in the county where the death occurred.

If you can get a middle name and/or a definitive married name for Helen, and/or a birth year and birth state, I'd be happy to try to search further...