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READERS' FEEDBACK: Foster child, 1880 &
Mental Institutions
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FOSTER CHILD YEARNS FOR FAMILY
HISTORY
http://www.dearmyrtle.com/05/1009.htm
From: Peggy
DearMYRTLE,
Just for the "heck" of it, Mary Jane could place a note on the FITZGERALD
mailing list at http://www.rootsweb.com.
Maybe there just might be someone there who wants to converse with her, in
addition to all the ideas you have given her. Thank you for the tip about the
Social Security Death Index prior to 1969. I did not know those people would not
be listed, although some are once in a while. Thank you for your wonderful work
as usual. -- Peggy, Janesville, WI
DearPEGGY,
We're eternally grateful to those who heard the Social Security Administration
was just throwing out info on deceased citizens. They rallied forces to put a
stop to the practice. The SSDI is how I discovered my maternal grandfather
passed away. Lowell S. Froman had been divorced from my grandmother Frances
Irene Goering since before I was born. He had not kept in touch with my mom.
Neither of us knew until I searched the SSDI that he died in 1989. <sigh>
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ACCESSING 1880 & OTHER CENSUS VIEWS
http://www.dearmyrtle.com/05/1010.htm
From:
RMcfa45544@aol.com
DearMYRTLE,
If you can afford about $200, Ancestry is worth it in the census. I have taken
several folks records back about four or five generations for them.
DearRM,
Full access to all Ancestry.com databases currently runs about that amount
annually. See: <http://landing.ancestry.com/multisubs/subscribe.aspx>
That currently includes:
- OneWorldTreeSM Matching just one name could
add branches to your family tree.
- US Federal Census Collection Access US Census
records from 1790 to 1930.
- US Records Collection View birth, marriage,
death, and military records.
- US Immigration Collection Find an ancestors
country of origin or birthplace.
- UK & Ireland Collection Find baptism,
christening, marriage and burial records.
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RE: JACKSONVILLE STATE HOSPITAL IN
ILLINOIS
http://www.dearmyrtle.com/05/1011.htm
From:
GWINNALICE@aol.com
DearMYRTLE,
In a message dated 10/8/2005 7:36:06 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
Myrt@DearMYRTLE.com writes: "Illinois State Archives - RECORD GROUP 252.000 -
Jacksonville Mental Health and Developmental Center" <http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/di/252__002.htm>
You gave me a good idea for finding more info on my
grandfather who died in Elgin, Kane County, Illinois in 1910. Do you know if the
Record Group is the same for that hospital in that year? It was also a state
hospital for the insane (at least my ancestor died of that.) Thanks for your
great work!
DearGWINN,
The webpage in question had a link to the TABLE OF CONTENTS <http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/di/toc.htm>
for the Illinois State Archives. Indeed, I've located the record group for the
"Elgin Mental Health Center" <http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/di/256__002.htm#A1>
in this listing of State Institutions. Record groups numbers vary for different
care centers, as indicated below. Isn't the internet wonderful?!!
- 251.000 Illinois School for the Deaf
- 252.000 Jacksonville Mental Health and
Developmental Center
- 254.000 Lincoln Developmental Center
- 255.000 Illinois Soldiers' and Sailors'
Children's School
- 56.000 Elgin Mental Health Center
- 258.000 Kankakee Developmental Center
- 259.000 Illinois Veterans' Home
- 260.000 Illinois Soldiers' Widows' Home
- 261.000 Peoria State Hospital
- 262.000 East Moline Mental Health Center
- 263.000 Alton Mental Health Center
- 264.000 Chicago State Hospital
- 265.000 Dixon Developmental Center
- 266.000 Institute for Juvenile Research
- 267.000 Galesburg Mental Health Center
- 268.000 Herrick House Children's Center
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RE:
JACKSONVILLE STATE HOSPITAL IN ILLINOIS
http://www.dearmyrtle.com/05/1011.htm
From: Rhonda Houston
DearMYRTLE,
From my experience looking for my great-great-grandmother in California, who had
a physical problem with her eyes that complicated all the rest of her
equilibrium, seeing things well and of course, her view on life would have been
different from the rest of the population and appeared very strange to those who
observed her, including her own family at about this same time frame.
Those records for her were destroyed and once in
those days, it was very easy to get someone in to one of those institutions for
any reason unscientifically presented, and almost impossible to get them
unadmitted. In those days, there was no need to keep these records at the local,
county, state level. This was a 'holding tank' for those who no one could assess
their problem and anyone could be admitted easily. Since the study of psychology
and any that related to; it is only today that we recognize records should have
been recognized and kept.
The one thing that this institution had, was a
stigma for holding those that were 'deviant to the culture at large', so you
see, there was really no logical 'then' or reason for these records to be held
and kept. I was terribly disappointed at the end of my search because this
ancestor had dropped off the face of the earth and was never heard of again.
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RE:
JACKSONVILLE STATE HOSPITAL IN ILLINOIS
http://www.dearmyrtle.com/05/1011.htm
From: Dittmar, Frederick M.
dittmar_ksa@ou.edu
DearMYRTLE,
One of these days I may call you Pat but Myrt sounds like a nickname now. I love
it the way you go out of your way when you answer a question. With Gretchen you
answered the question and then expanded with the links and a summary with the
value of each. WOW what a lady. -- One question I have is does the town/county
local genealogical society have any records of burials or a cemetery used by the
hospital? In Norman, the Cleveland County Genealogical Society has the cemetery
records for the local State Hospital Cemetery. Just a thought.
DearFRED (not Frank!)
You are right to bring up that the records we seek aren't always placed in the
logical spot. When the Hillsborough County, Florida marriage records were being
thrown out, Thomas Jay Kemp rescued them. Now he is at Godfrey.org, but at the
time he was the Special Collections Librarian at the University of South
Florida, Tampa. We pray there are like-minded individuals in the towns,
counties, provinces and countries where our ancestors once lived. <sigh>
This past week I attended a genealogy society
meeting where the speaker Walt Stock, formerly of the Free Library of
Philadelphia, stated that it doesn't matter where you are accustomed to finding
records. When you get to a new area for your ancestral quest you "must find the
local genealogy guru." He added that the person usually has cobwebs all over. I
thought that was a cute way to get the point across. Records of our elusive
ancestors can be most anywhere. Its just a matter of persistent searching.
Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
6023 26th Street West PMB 352
Bradenton, FL 34207
http://www.DearMYRTLE.com
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