Where to even start? (USA Research)

[Cboat1975]

I'm a little frustrated. I have been looking for some family members for a long time. To only get the same result each time. A dead end. So, let me tell you my situation in hopes some of you might have an idea on what to do. I'm stumped.

My biological father left me and my mother before I was even a year old. I never met him. All I know is that his last name was Baker. I was in touch with my biological grandparents however. I learned that they where German. I also learned that I have three half brothers. James Ray, and two others. I only met them once. James Ray passed away when I was 11yrs old. The other two as far as I know are still around. They should be around the same age or just a little older then me. I'm 35yrs old now.

In my past research I have been looking for them under the name of Baker and came up with nothing. Just this past month I found out from my mother that the Two boys had lived with their biological mother and she remarried. The husband in that marriage adopted the two boys. Thus changing their last names. I have tried getting a hold of my biological father to see if he could be any help as I do not know their new last names, but I have not been able to find him.

So does anyone have any ideas on where I should even start? I'm still torn on the fact if I should even try to find them anymore, after all we are older and who wants to add more drama into someone's life. Then again we are brothers and I just want to make sure they are ok. I think about them everyday, as If I have known them for ever.

[Darksecretz]

You could order James Rays birth cert? and/or the other two siblings, if the father legally adopted the children there should be an amendement on the birth cert a to show their new name. (I think!)

[Cboat1975]

Thanks for the reply. Well James Ray had a different mother then myself and the other two siblings. When James Ray passed on he still had the last name of Baker. And on the other two siblings, I have tried looking into their birth certs but was told I needed to know their new name as it would not show up on their old (baker) certs.

[darannon]

Do you know their mothers name? Because then you could search for a marriage in that time frame (i would guess it must have been before the boys were 16 for the stepfather to adopt them and change their name). Hopefully you have an idea of the area where the mother lived when she had the boys? Alternatively, have you ever tried looking for james ray's mother, she may well have more info on your father and his other children
good luck

[Cboat1975]

@Darannon: Thank you so much for your reply. As far as James Ray goes I did not know his mothers name. Nor does my mom know/remember. This is also the same result for my other two siblings. As far as where they lived, I know it was somewhere in the Texas area. Which, yes I know is huge as I live there myself. LOL. My mom thinks they live in the Dallas area but again the Dallas area in it's self is pretty huge.

[Uncle John]

You've just given us a vital piece of information. US records are totally different from UK ones, so you'd need to find someone who knows Texas legislation and records.

[Cboat1975]

I see. Thanks for your help.

[Darksecretz]

I have just added (USA Research) to your title post, hopefully it will clarify things a little more for those trying to help you.

[PhotoFamily]

I'm not clear on the entire picture, but here are a few ideas.

Here's a website about who can obtain birth and death certificates in Texas

http://www.co.galveston.tx.us/community_services/certcop.htm

So, I think you will hit road blocks to obtaining those records.

Better chance to obtain an obituary for young James Ray. Hopefully it will name parents and all the children. Do you know where James died? Contact the local library and ask what newspapers were published in that era, and how to look up info for that time period.

Repeat for other known events - e.g., the second marriage. Are the grandparents still living? If not, their obits

Divorce records might be more public. Oh, yes, apparently so. Just googled and got back this website:

http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/vs/marriagedivorce/

Try looking for the mom under both her maiden name and her first-marriage surname for both the divorce and the marriage record.

Don't overlook using Ancestry's message board. You're more likely to get someone who knows Texas resources

[Cboat1975]

@PhotoFamily: I just want to take the time to think you for you link http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/vs/marriagedivorce/ this has helped a ton. Using this I was able to find the last name of the woman who my biological married before my mom. Thus being the mother of the two living siblings. Now all I have to figure out is who she married from the time of the divorce and on. But, at lest I have a last name. More then I ever had before.

To everyone on here: Thank you all for your help and kind words. I think I will be a regular on this site for sure ;)