Where did you come from?

[Teresa]

Welcome to the hunting and exploring your family tree and ancestors. 
Here is a couple of websites to get you started.

http://www.usgenweb.org/

http://www.ancestorhunt.com/

If you have any questions on what to do and the steps it takes to get started, please ask Lois Morgon...( She is our "genealogynut")
She will be the moderator of this board, and all questions will be directed to her.
It might be nice if you ask her your questions by using the public forum.. and that way when she answers you the rest of us will learn from your questions. 
If you need to contact her personally , she will be the one to give you her personal number and address.

Thanks for making this another great section of the Howard, and Elk County  Forum.

[oldmom]

Does anyone have a way to look up adoption?  I was adopted, but haven't found a way to "look" into this that won't cost me a fortune!  Thanks for any help.

[Mom70x7]

Your birth certificate should have the hospital you were born in. You can start there - with births at the hospital or with births in that city.

What state?

Some states have partially opened records.

Where you a private adoption?

In Kansas, you can contact SRS and ask if anyone has requested information on you.

There are ways to start - I've helped several of my kids find their birth families.

[larryJ]

oldmom, in doing genealogy for many years, I haven't had to try for adoption records.  I do know from reading that adoption records in most states are sealed to protect all parties.  I don't know your age, but if you are sure or suspect your birth parents may have passed on, you might be able to get a court order to unseal those records, as those parties would no longer be "injured" by discovery.  As you say, it involves money.

Perhaps, a place to start is to talk to existing family (adopted) members who are older and see if they can shed some light.  I am assuming your adoptive parents are not around to help or don't want to help.  Knowing the state you were adopted in can help and writing letters to the state inquiring how to find those records.  That doesn't always work as you may have been born in another state and adopted in that state and then moved to where you are.

It is a tough uphill battle to break adoption seals, but it can be done.  Don't give up!

I am glad to help if I can--------------------for free!

Larryj