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www.who-are-you.us |
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Non Identifying Info |
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Now I will reveal to you what I was allowed by Florida law to know of my origins, and on the next page—how I eventually found my birthfamily. On my official "Certified Copy" of my "original" non-original Birth Certificate. I notice the wording at the top..... We hereby certify the copy reproduced below to be a TRUE AND CORRECT copy of THE ORIGINAL RECORD on file in the bureau of vital statistics…”
I think that it was nice that E.H. Williams, Jr. the chief of the Bureau of Vital Statistics came 300 miles down to West Palm Beach from Jacksonville to deliver me into this world with his own two hands.... his stamped signature is on my birth certificate as the attending physician. Is there any other business in this nation in which we openly allow such ridiculous and obvious lies to be perpetuated and then notarize them as fact? HRS, who handled my adoption, sent me the obligatory "non-identifying" information package. I will summarize what I have been ALLOWED to know and place my own inferences within parenthesis, as follows: (Note, I have used below, the following abbreviations: BM=birth mother, BF=birth father, BGF=birth grand father, BGM=birth grand mother, and BA=birth aunt)
It is confirmed that I was born on September 2, 1969 (at least that is true—there are many adoptees who later find out that the birthday they always celebrated was incorrect—sometimes they discover that the years are even different.) I was born in West Palm Beach Florida At that time my BM was 21 years old and was not married nor had ever been married. She signed a consent form on September 15, 1969. My BM was born "late in the spring" of 1948 in a "Mid-Western" state. She came to Florida with a friend to get out of the cold weather and get away from home. Because of poor salaries and transportation her friend returned to their home state early. My BM lived in an efficiency Apartment (provided by HRS to prospective donors). The "hotel" was very nice and a safe place for a young woman to stay (probably seedy, but clean, and very close to HRS' offices in downtown West Palm Beach. Most of these "hotels" were torn down in the 1980's and turned into paid parking lots and courthouse expansions. I later learned from my birthmother that this scenario regarding HRS housing was a complete fabrication). She paid $20.00 a week for rent and that she made $108.00 every two weeks working as a drug store clerk for a major drug store chain (Probably Walgreen's) in downtown West Palm Beach. (My mom and dad were told by social worker, Mildred Mount that my BM was a schoolteacher. I guess they taught social workers back then to make the merchandise more appealing)
Prior to the pregnancy she worked two jobs, the aforementioned drug store job and a department store (probably Montgomery Wards, or Woolworth's) in downtown West Palm Beach. BM stated that BF could be one of two people she had been intimate with around (Christmas 1968 and New Year's 1969) the time of my conception. BM did not identify either of the two men. In July of 1969, the time in which my BM first contacted HRS, BM said she did not know the whereabouts or present address for either man. The only thing she did confirm was that both men were white (revelation: that must be why I am white!).
BM is described as a tall, well built (what does that mean?) Caucasian, brown-eyed, blonde. She was 5'8" tall with a normal weight of 120lb. Her complexion was very fair, with good teeth, though slightly uneven (Search all the Orthodontists!). She appeared to be shy and withdrawn but smiled easily. She stated that she was in good health, had always been in good health and had no disabilities. BM completed high school with a "C" average. She had wanted to attend college and applied but was turned down for a VA scholarship since my BGF was a veteran. Had she attended college she would have majored in Home Economics, as that was her favorite subject. My BGF was an airplane pilot, killed in an accident when she my BM was 4 years old (1952 or 1953 the time of the Korean War, this I thought, was a MAJOR HINT, for if I could identify the name of my BGF, everything else would trickle down. However I have not been able to find a way to distinguish what his name would be from the thousands of deaths at that time).
My BM had three sisters, they were all raised by my BGM, alone. Everyone in the family worked and because of this, they were not a close family. They communicated mainly by leaving notes for one another. My BM's first job was when she was 10. She had a paper route. At 16 she was a caller at bingo games in a summer resort near her home (hint). During the winter months she would work as a typist, baby-sitter, and other odd jobs. After high school she worked as a waitress, a sales clerk and a drug store clerk. In Florida she continued to work at a drug store until September 1st, the day before my birth. She was embarrassed to find herself in the situation of being unintentionally pregnant, and planned to keep it a secret from her family. Once able to travel, she would return home where jobs paid more and transportation was easier. My oldest BA was born in the spring of 1945. She was 6' tall, with brown hair, brown eyes and a fair complexion. She graduated high school, and was as yet unmarried. She was employed as a secretary. Another BA was born in Spring of 1949. She was 5' 11" tall. She had blonde hair, brown eyes, and a fair complexion. She graduated high school, was unmarried and employed as an accountant. The youngest BA was born early in 1951. She was 5' 11" tall. She was blond, with brown eyes and a fair complexion. My BGM was born in the summer of 1920 in my BM's home state.
My BGM was 5'5" tall and weighed 160 lb. She was blond with brown eyes and a fair complexion. She was a high school graduate, and supported the family as a restaurant cook. She was in good health but did have varicose veins from prolonged standing. My BGF (No approximate date of birth was given for my BGF) was 6'3", 190 lb. prior to his accidental death.
My BM was referred to the County Health Unit for pre-natal care. She was accepted by that program so that her medical and hospital expenses would be taken care of. (I later found out that my birthmother's husband was still paying her medical expenses a year later - another HRS lie)
I was released from the hospital on September 5, 1969 and placed in a foster home that specializes in infant care. At birth I weighed 7lb. 13oz., and there were no delivery complications. I was born at 40 weeks gestation and circumcised on September 3, 1969. I was placed in my adoptive home at the age of 29 days, on October 1, 1969. The adoption was finalized after a 2 year waiting period, on September 2, 1971. The case number was 71 C 4229. The judge was James R. Stewart. The final decree for adoption is listed in Chancery Order book, page 767.
On May 5, 1995 I filed a Petition for Adoption Information and Order for Release of Information with the Palm Beach County Court House, for reasons stating "my right to know medical and genealogical histories of both maternal and paternal parties". I also requested that discreet contact be made with the BM to discover the current information.
My motion was declined. I guess I was required to need a bone marrow transplant in order to please the courts.
So that's it. Everything I was allowed by Florida state law to know about my origins It felt good to read this yet, the feeling of emptiness did not go away. Was all of this true? Who were these people? Where were they? Were they looking for me? Why hadn’t they found me?
You get to learn about it by scrolling down a webpage presented for all to see. Perhaps one day unedited adoption information will be just as accessible for adoptees. Maybe I'll live to see that day. |
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All Content is ©1998-2005 R & R Media Productions |
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This page was created and first published on the internet in 1998. In June of 2000 I lost the Mother I had known all my life:
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ADOPTION RECORD
SEALED BY LAW |
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09-02-1969 |
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THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE |