The Christian Home on Fulton Ave was where most Evansville unwed mother's spent the last months of their pregnancies. The Salvation Army uses it as a homeless shelter now. Hasn't changed much has it? My mother brought me there for an interview. I was NOT impressed. The lady had me fill out a paper about the birthfather and told me it was confidential. As soon as I handed it to her she passed it to my mother. I must have made quite a scene, I didn't stay. I went to Ohio instead. I did have a friend there though. We used to drive in the parking lot at night and flash our lights so she would know to come to the window and wave to us.
Most baby's born in Evansville to unwed mother's were born at St Mary's Hospital. Do not waste your time trying to get any information from them. They claim admamentally to have no records.St. Mary's is located at:
St. Joseph Home (known to many as St. Joseph Infant and Maternity Home) was established in 1873. The maternity home was closed in 1989 as a result of decline in admissions.Catholic Charities sent many unwed mothers there. Our baby's were returned to our home diocese to be adopted though in most cases. I wrote them and they sent me a copy of my daughters original Baptism Certificate. No ammended information was on it, but it was very nice seeing her birthname in print with me listed as her Mother.
St. Joseph Home
10722 Wyscarver Road
Cincinnati, OH 45241-3083
(513)563-2520
St Joseph"s Home
This is the old courthouse in Evansville. In 1968 this was where Catholic Charities took me to sign the final papers. My birthdaughters parents came here to sign papers and pick her up even though they lived in another Indiana county. Catholic Charities was right across the street.
The Catholic Diocese of Evansville is comprised of members of the Kingdom of God living in the 12 counties of Southwest Indiana.The 12 counties in the Diocese of Evansville are: Sullivan, Greene, Knox, Daviess, Martin, Gibson, Pike, Dubois, Posey, Vanderburgh, Warrick, and Spencer The present Diocese of Evansville has 70 parishes divided into 7 deaneries with a Catholic population of 91,043. Here is a map of SW Indiana. If you were adopted or relinquished through Catholic Charities here the birthmother was from this area and the child was placed within one of those counties.
Catholic Charities sent me a letter concerning their reunion policies read ithere
Evansville Diocese
Catholic Charities
The Vanderburgh County Division of Family and Children (formerly called the Welfare Dept is located in downtown Evansville.Their mailing address is:
Division of FAmily & Children
100 East Sycamore Street
P.O. Box 154
Evansville, IN 47701-0154
(812) 421-5500
Ms Virginia Combs sent me a copy of the letter they send people who inquire about searches. Read it here
Here is the link to a list of all Indiana County Offices:County Welfare Offices Addresses
The registration forms for the Program are available from local Offices of Family and Children. The form must be filled out in black ink, signed and accompanied with a photocopy of a signature ID and sent to the address which appears on the form’s reverse side. It will take the Program approximately five weeks to check birth records and match searchers. If a match is found, both parties will be notified by the Indiana Adoption History Program and names, addresses and telephone numbers can be exchanged,. Adult adoptees will be sent a copy of their original birth certificate.
If a match cannot be made, the Program does not notify the searcher of that fact. However, if the searcher does not receive information from the Program within six weeks, he or she can assume the party sought has not registered and can pursue asking the sponsoring adoption agency to search.
Adoption agencies can be asked to attempt to locate sought after parties to inform them of the existence of the Indiana Adoption History Program, to let them know only that someone is looking for them and to inquire as to whether they wish to register. If they do register, a match can then be made by the Program, who will then release information. The agency is never allowed to release identifying information without authorization from the Indiana Adoption History Program.
In order to request that the Vanderburgh County Office of Family and Children conduct a search for information contained in its adoption files, the searcher must make a request in writing:
1. The searcher must identify himself or herself in relationship to the adoption,
2. provide the date of birth of the adult adoptee,
3. give whatever other available pertinent information felt necessary, ie., adoptive parents names, maiden name of birth mother etc.
Send a photocopy of a signature ID (a driver’s license is a good choice)
4. Mail this to:
Searchers will then receive a written response from the agency. Adoptees can receive non-identifying information from the adoptive file, even if a match cannot be made by the Indiana Adoption History Program; if interested in receiving non-identifying information, searchers should request this. Please note that all medical information must be released through the Indiana Medical History Program; (it cannot be released as non-identifying information through adoption agencies) request forms for that program are also available through local Offices of Family and Children or through the State Board of Health.
