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I'm not really sure of how to go about this all... I've just started looking and don't know where to start. My grandfather is now passed on, but the questions of his birth still get to me. There are 2 stories in the family of his birth. One is that he was adopted by my great grandparents because they weren't able to have children of their own. The other is that my great grandfather got a native american woman pregnant, then took the child and sent her back to Idaho, where her family lived and forced his wife to take the child on as her own. My grandfathers name is Robert Raymond Hick born 11/21/1933. This was so long ago and I don't know how to find info. I pray that the first story is the truth, but in those days the second wouldn't surprise me. I live in Oregon, my grandfather was born here, but with his passing I'm told I would have to have a good reason to unseal the records, which I don't think I have. The vital records people said the right to unseal the records died with my grandfather.
Anyone have any thoughts or advice for me? I know this isn't such a pressing matter as the situations of most of you, but I would like to know for certain one way or the other just where my grandfather came from, and where I come from. Thank you so much for at least reading this. God bless and the best of luck to you all.
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I would try the simplest first. Go to the county superior court where your grandfather lived as a boy because that is probably the correct court. They will tell you if you need to file elsewhere. Take your id with you and request a form to fill out to petition to unseal the file. You don't need a lawyer but may need to pay a small nominal fee (my guess is $20?) to file/have it notorized. See what happens. With Oregon having the records open since 2000 I don't see any reason for the judge to deny the petition as any parties are most likely passed away by now and you really just want to know what happened and to be able to create your own genealogy. If that fails then you could try ancestry but it would most likely be pretty hard to sort out. Kind regards,Dickons
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I am assuming Hick is his adopted name? Can you send away for a long form genealogy copy of his birth certificate? Do you have any adoption orders showing when/where this took place? If you can prove by a birth certificate/adoption ppwk that his mom was native american- you can possibly file with the tribe she belonged to -to open the records to prove lineage so that you can recieve benefits of the tribe.
What info do you have showing he was adopted?
There was also a voluntary adoption registry setup in Oregon in 1983- you might want to try to sign up there or write them with a copy of his death certificate and your birth certificate to show the relationship.
Department of Human Services
Adoption Registry, 2nd Floor South
500 Summer Street NE, E71
Salem, OR 97301-1068
perhaps they would allow you to sign up to see if his family tried to find him and/or get non-identifying info. I would again stress that he was told his mother was native american- and you are looking for proof to present for tribal membership.
His birth cert shows my great grandparents as being adopted parents. I have no idea if the tribe would even have any record of this since he was born here in Oreon and the bio mom was sent back to Idaho to her tribe... Will look into this. I will def. try going to the court. Thank you so much for the advice!