JOPLIN, Mo. —
I recently watched a television program called "The Locator." The poignant series points out that family history research is far more than a hobby for some people.
The program is hosted by Troy Dunn, a private investigator who has helped people reunite with loved ones for over twenty years. Information about the program is found at www.wetv.com/thelocator.
At the site, Dunn gives an important suggestion for people in search of lost loved ones Ñ who may not want to be found. After the address of a person is determined, Dunn suggests that the searcher not barge into the person's life. Instead the loved one should be contacted through a gentle, thoughtful, sensitive phone call.
Through the years, I've met several relatives who have used genealogical techniques to find living relatives. About five years ago, a family history researcher named Jean told me her amazing story.
After her brother and his wife divorced, the wife took the young daughter to another state and broke all contact with the father and his family. For more than 40 years, Jean and her family wondered about the lost loved one.
On a hunch, Jean decided to place an ad in Cappers Weekly. After the niece saw it, she contacted Jean, and they had a joyful reunion.
A second cousin, Mike, flew from California to Missouri in search of his lost relatives. His mother and her seven siblings had been removed from their mother after their father died, and their mother couldn't afford to take care of them. The children were placed in different foster homes and orphanages.
Although 70 years had elapsed since the siblings were separated, Mike went to the birth location listed on his mother's birth certificate and was able to find local families who helped him piece together his family history. He eventually located all of the siblings and held a blessed reunion that helped heal their troubled hearts.
In addition to the methods that these researchers used, another suggestion is to use the site www.switchboard.com to find the address and telephone number of possible leads. A researcher should also interview all known relatives because some of them might know details that could be helpful.
Search old telephone directories because they might provide helpful addresses. Directories are often found at historical societies, public libraries and genealogy societies.
Also, visit nearby courthouses and search birth, marriage, death, divorce, real estate, tax, and court records for clues. Check the online Social Security Death Index, too. The index tells the area where a person lived when he or she applied for a social security number, and the place where the person was living when he or she died.
For more helpful techniques, go to www.cyndislist.com. When the site opens, click on categories. When the next screen opens, click on the category "Finding Living People."
Suggestions or queries? Contact: Frankie Meyer, 509 N. Center St., Plainfield, IN 46168 or e-mail frankiemeyer@yahoo.com.
Lifestyles
Related Photos
-
Frankie Meyer
Discussion
Frankie Meyer: Long-lost relatives can still be found
- Lifestyles
-
-
Raised voices: Trio brings energetic, spiritual show to Branson
From singing in church and at their mother's bedside following her near-fatal accident, Michael, Avery and Nadia Cole, the Voices of Glory, have had an effect on people.
-
Glass instruments featured in special program
Dennis James' obsession started when he was 6 years old. During a visit to the Franklin Museum in 1956, he spotted a glass armonica and was transfixed.
-
Farm Girl Fest to hold spring event at school
A group that re-creates historic farm life at Red Oak II in Carthage will take their event to school this weekend.
-
Historic ghost tour features Victorian-era seance
Now the spring season of the historic ghost tours has a new stop: Caldone's After Dark Speakeasy at 218 S. Main.
-
Rummage sale to benefit foster parents
A rummage sale this weekend will help raise funds for foster parents dealing with cancer.
- Parents' planner (May 16-22)
-
Sarah Coyne: Family stories help children understand
Snuggled in her daddy's lap, though, was my oldest girl. As the adults talked and laughed, she watched our faces, and I knew what would happen next. It's the same almost every time we have visitors. "Can we tell stories?"
-
Cheerful cheers: Brush up on toasting skills
Only a very small percentage of people can stand up in front of strangers and pull off a toast that strikes the perfect balance between humility and humor.
-
Cheryle Finley: Appetizers can be a bite or a whole meal
Hors d'oeuvre, a word we all can pronounce but have trouble spelling, is from the French word meaning "apart from the main work," as in food set aside to supposedly give you an appetite for the main course that follows.
-
Amanda Stone: Radishes go well in salads
I was once asked this question: If you could only eat a food based on its texture, what would it be? My first thought was radishes.
- More Lifestyles Headlines
-
