Trying to find brother born in 1968 or 1969 in Chicago (to buy, living)

[thregis2002]

I don't have tons of information but I have a half brother that was born in Chicago, IL to a Marge Tea tree or Tea garden. I don't know for sure what her name was/is. My father is George Terrence Regis, born in Chicago in 1943. My understanding is that my dad is on the birth certificate but he is very tight lipped and won't talk about this topic. I want to meet my brother and have him know that he has two sisters. Any ideas on how to find him? Roots.com was not helpful and I'm not willing to pay for ancestry.

Thanks
Traci

[tlw]

Traci,

You don't have a lot of info to work from, but I have been surprised in the past with some of my searches with little to go on.
I have found a number of people online, at times very quickly and other times it has taken hours, several attempts, and different ways.

Try google searches with the name of the brother or father or mother. Try different variations of the name ....... first and last name, first initial and last name, name with a connected city, different spellings of the name. I have had clues show up because of the name being misspelled somewhere in the persons history. Look for any additional clue in the first few pages. I have seldom found anything past 4 or 5 pages as your search words just show up more fragmented. After trying different names and combinations, try putting "parentheses" around your search word or words. This will only search for those exact words which cuts down the possibilities but can sometimes work.

If you are on Myspace or Facebook try looking internally on those with your account. If not a member, I have searched on Myspace for a person without being a member myself. Don't think Facebook allows you to, however you can once again do a Google search with an educated guess at the brothers or mothers name and include the name and the words - on Facebook ...... maybe George Regis on Facebook or G. Regis on Facebook, George Teagarden on Facebook or other attempted combinations ....... maybe he is a George Jr.

You might also try the online Social Security death records website which is free. That sometimes will include a city of birth and death. Maybe try findagrave.com
Try a search with combinations of ........... Marge Teagarden obituary ...... or Margerite Teagarden obituary ....... or M. Teagarden obit ....... You get the idea.
If you find anything that even looks like a possibility, include that on new searches once again with different combinations.

You might also look online at libraries in the Chicago area that have genealogy departments that are accessible. My hometown library has a fantastic one where you can get into all the past newspaper articles, pictures, births, deaths, everything. It even links into one of the subscription sites ..... don't remember which one .... for free. If you find one of these you can look at births in 1968 and 1969.

You can also access the Mormon genealogy website which is the best in the country and also free. -- familysearch.org This site is very cool. These folks are serious about this genealogy stuff and the amount of information they have is staggering. They also automatically give you variations on the spelling of last names when you search. You might have to try looking for info kinda in the opposite direction ......... Teagardens that might be a parent or grandparent of Marge or Margerite or Margarite or Margie or M.

All of this might sound rather confusing or difficult, but once you get into it more, you start seeing what kinda works.

[linicx]

Genealogy sites assist those searching for ancestors who have been deceased many years. If you are serously looking for a living person hire a detective. You can also search in the white pages of the Chicago phone book. Also Cook County will have a record of every child born in the City of Chicago. The simple solution is to buy a copy of your brothers and sisters birth certificate.

I urge you to not open Pandora's box until you know the full story. Your father may be tight-lipped for reasons other the shame. You don't know why. Perhpas this adult child was adopted or dead. And it is equally possible the adult child never looked for the birth father and does not want any contact with him or with his other family. .