my fathers biological parents

LegacyUser

Marilyn Peck said: i need to know who my father (Robert Earl Tipton) parents were before he was adopted by John Chester & Ellen Lucile Tipton. He has passed and I am trying to find who they were. thank you, Marilyn Tipton Peck (daughter)

LegacyUser

Jeff_Luke said: I think this might be the Robert Earl Tipton that was asked about given the parents' names, but this Robert was born 93 years ago, not 97 years ago:

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/per...

Marilyn - I am far from an expert on adoption records but I am currently working to get adoption records for my grandmother, who was adopted in Colorado, so I have learned a few basics. If your father was in an orphanage you could start by contacting them. In your case that probably does not apply.

Adoptions are usually legal actions in which case a record of adoptions is typically filed with the court. Departments of vital statistics may also have documents or records about the adoption. These records are typically 'sealed' so permission from the court or government is needed to access them. In my case, I am working with the dept of Vital Statistics in the county where my grandmother was adopted to get the records. Under Colorado law, because I am a direct descendant, and because she is deceased, I can get her records if I prove my relationship. Different states will have different laws.

I found this link to accessing adoption records in Utah.

https://archives.utah.gov/research/gu...

According to that site, it looks like adoption records in Utah do become public record 100 years after the birth date.

Files less than 100 years old are sealed, and only available to the adoptive parents or adoptee without a court order.

Since your father and his parents have passed away, you would need a court order to get records, unless you wait for the 100 year mark.

If you know the county where your father was adopted you could start by contacting the Clerk of Court in that county and ask for help filing a petition requesting access to the records.

Once I contacted the clerk in Colorado they told me the process to follow and sent me the documents to fill in. I got passed around to multiple people and had to follow up several times, so you may need to be persistent.

I did not need a court order since I had a relationship that allows record access according to Colorado state law, but it sounds like in your case you will. The clerk probably has forms that you could use to help in this process. You could always hire an attorney to help too, but I would start with the Clerk of Court and hopefully they can help you get started. Or you can wait for the 100 year mark.

Hopefully this will be of some help to you.

LegacyUser

Chas Howell said: That can be a difficult task. First off, have you entered Robert and his adopted parents into FamilySearch? If so post Robert's PID so others can see that information. Second, the clue to finding the biological parents may be in your father's papers. Look for clues there.

LegacyUser

Marilyn Peck said: I don't have any papers in those days they did not list the parents. he died and 80 and has been dead for 17 years. That is 97 years ago. All we know is that he was adopted through the lds church. birth certificate does not list their names.

LegacyUser

Amy Archibald said: I would suggest doing a DNA test with Ancestry. Then work on separating your DNA matches from your mother and father's lines. Then contact those you are related to via your father's DNA. Other people who share that DNA can help you figure out who your grandparents may be.

LegacyUser

Paul said: Marilyn

You write, "All we know is that he was adopted through the lds church." I am not a Church member, but wonder if the Church itself might hold any paperwork on this. However, this could again be subject to privacy issues, including a "100 year" rule, as seems to be the case with the state of Utah's records.

LegacyUser

Marilyn Peck said: i did not say that i was not a church member. you said that. i was baptised at 8 years old. and my father was adopted through the church. please don't change what i wrote.

LegacyUser

Paul said: Who said you were not a church member? If you are referring to me, please read my comments again - I said I (not you) am not a Church member. Was only trying to help, Marilyn. Regardless, please read Jeff Luke's helpful advice and ignore my comments.