Researching Ancestors in Asylums
Courtesy of Amy Johnson Crow
Researching an ancestor who was in an asylum or state hospital is challenging, frustrating, and (often) emotional work. Success in finding the records comes from persistence and creativity. Here are some records and strategies to use when researching an ancestor in such an institution.The Emotional Aspect of Researching Institutionalized Ancestors
Before we get into finding the records, I want to point out some of the “other” challenges in this type of research. It can be heartbreaking to see your ancestor described as “a lunatic” or to read the conditions that they endured in an asylum.
Some might say, “But, Amy, those were the terms they used back then. They didn’t mean anything by them.” I beg to differ. In many cases, these terms were meant to label someone as “lesser than.”
Link to entire article, click HERE
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Jennifer Corder, Group Leader
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I found a sister of my grandmother who was committed as a young girl. I actually didn't know she existed and when I stumbled across several records of her, my aunt and mother said she was probably autistic. She was incarcerated around age 6, and died shortly after turning 22, probably of the Spanish flu pandemic that was raging. She died in 1919. Of all the things that I could write about that situation, the one that really, really hits home to me is this: parents had SO FEW OPTIONS available to them in those days. They did the best they could. I will never, never, never judge parents. The institutions, well, I'm not sure about that.
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Thank you @Gail S Watson. So exciting you found your relative, even under sad situations. I agree that compassion is the best way to deal with these memories. Every one has hard decisions in their lives (that’s what my Grandma always told us!).
Happy searching!
Jennifer Corder, Group Leader
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