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I do some genealogy but I have not tried to find anyone connected to adoption. I am trying to help a friend find his birth mother's information. I have his birth certificate. He was born March 6, 1941 as John Edward Watson in Shelbyville, Bedford County Tenessee. He was adopted through the Childrens Home Society in Nashville, Tennessee. The woman who facilitated the adoption was named Imagine Becknawl. His adoptive father was John Leland Jaco of Warren County Tennessee, his adoptive mother was Maria Elizabeth Manly of Hamilton County Tennessee. They gave him the name of John Leland Jaco Jr. The birth certificate shows birth as March 6, 1941, but the date signed is April 20, 1942. Neither he nor his adoptive mother knows where the name "Watson" came from. I suspect it is his birth mothers maiden name or it could be made up. As far as he knows his mother and father were not married. I would appreciate any information or any suggestions that you might have on how I can find his birth mothers name or records of his adoption. Thank you for your help.
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Tennesse during that time period is REALLY tough. It is the period of Georgia Tann who if you google you will understand. 1. His birthdate may or may not be correct.2. The name Watson may or may not be correct. It could be his mothers last name or even his fathers or simply made up.3. The date on his birthcertificate if it is his amended birth certificate would be when the adoption was finalized. Here is the link to the adoption laws in Tn. You should have your friend apply for his non-id and sign up for the registry. [url=http://laws.adoption.com/statutes/tennessee-laws.html]Tennessee Adoption Laws[/url] I will have to look for some other information to provide and will get back to you. Kind regards,Dickons
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Childrens Home Society in Nashville, Tennessee was the head office and there were branches in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Jackson and Memphis. The Memphis branch is where Georgia Tann reigned supreme. I do not know if any of her adoptions were processed through the main office in Nashville. Sealed adoption records happened because of Georgia Tann. Adoptees etc managed to overturn the sealed records in Tn but do not know if the NFCA and others opposed have managed to seal them again but I think that adoptions prior to 1951 can be unsealed. They may require good cause but I would assume wanting to know if you were a black market baby could be considered good cause or at least it should be. Call the number in the link in the post above and see what they say. If you come to dead ends with the link in the post above let me know and I will see if I can find a search angel (free) to search as they have done many searches and have many successes. But they will want whatever info you can get from the courts. Note you may run into convienent fires or floods that destroyed the records...don't let that stop you. Good luck,Dickons