Search county records on the SWNGS website

Well it's settled! I have determined that I should move to Antarctica. This is not an easy decision considering how much I detest being cold but an extra coat could help.

Why Antarctica? It is the only continent that does not have thistle weeds and after four days of trying to eradicate thistles from our pastures, I'm up for a change.

Sadly, the United States did not have thistles before the Europeans settled here. There was no Native American riding horseback through the plains spraying herbicide. Scotland actually has one type of thistle as their national emblem. I am certainly hoping it wasn't one of my ancestors that brought the first plant over here.

Back to business concerning records available (and searchable on our website) at our genealogy library. One item I fail to remind people of is our list of Red Willow County Probate Surname Index. This index, compiled from the courthouse books, covers the years from the county's inception up to 1985. Probate court handled things like wills, adoptions and guardianships and the index is searchable by surname. You will not be able to see adoption records since they are sealed in the state of Nebraska but sometimes one can put two and two together by researching the time frame around the date of adoption.

Here are some examples of what is available. If you find a record you wish to actually read, you will have to go to the courthouse to obtain it but Southwest Nebraska Genealogy Society's website has listed the case number, index number, fee book and date of filing which should pinpoint the records for you.

Early adoptions include these names of adoptive parents: Martin S. Nichols, before 1888; William and Lena Ebbeka, 1908; Walter Edward Egan, 1929; Charles and Jessie Eldred, 1921 (it appears that they adopted three); John and Minnie Steven, before 1887; Arless and Hattie Macy, 1909.

If you take a look at guardianships listed prior to an adoption you are curious about, you might find clues. The following are just an examples of guardianships that may well have led to an adoption down the road, and: 1891, Becca Ann, Edith, Gertrude, Maude and Sylva Mesner; 1905, Francis, Fred, and Laura Dencker; 1895, Bradley, Charlie, Eliza and Tim Deveney; 1888, Margaret Mae, Mary Annie, Maude, and Rosa Jane Walton.

One last clue may be a child's first name. If you know your ancestor was adopted as an older child, often the first name given at birth remains the child's first name or is included as a middle name. Search the records for a guardianship with similar first names that dates before the adoption. The surname shown on a guardianship will be the birth parent(s) surname.

Now I am going to add a personal note. We lost one of our staunchest members this week with the passing of Maribeth Augustyn. She was a dedicated genealogist, a talented musician, superb educator, and a great lady. We will miss her.