I'm trying to track down a family that owned a historic house in my community in 1995. They stayed only about a year. I've had no luck finding them on-line and the folks who bought the house from them are gone, too (dead or disenfranchised i.e. not likely to care about my research). A member at the local historical society suggested asking the post office for a record of a forwarding address.
I tried that recently, hoping to discover periods when the house stood empty. As best I can recall, I was told that, in the past, only the letter carrier had forwarding info for homes in his or her route. Post offices seldom hang onto such info for long.
True?
I was also told that, more recently, forwarding is centralized. Info is sent to a large regional facility and NOT kept at local post offices.
"Rebecca Webb" wrote in message > I'm trying to track down a family that owned a historic house in my > community in 1995. They stayed only about a year. I've had no luck > finding them on-line and the folks who bought the house from them are > gone, too (dead or disenfranchised i.e. not likely to care about my > research). A member at the local historical society suggested asking > the post office for a record of a forwarding address.
> I tried that recently, hoping to discover periods when the house stood > empty. As best I can recall, I was told that, in the past, only the > letter carrier had forwarding info for homes in his or her route. Post > offices seldom hang onto such info for long.
> True?
> I was also told that, more recently, forwarding is centralized. Info is > sent to a large regional facility and NOT kept at local post offices.
> I'm trying to track down a family that owned a historic house in my > community in 1995. They stayed only about a year. I've had no luck > finding them on-line and the folks who bought the house from them are > gone, too (dead or disenfranchised i.e. not likely to care about my > research). A member at the local historical society suggested asking > the post office for a record of a forwarding address.
> I tried that recently, hoping to discover periods when the house stood > empty. As best I can recall, I was told that, in the past, only the > letter carrier had forwarding info for homes in his or her route. Post > offices seldom hang onto such info for long.
> True?
> I was also told that, more recently, forwarding is centralized. Info is > sent to a large regional facility and NOT kept at local post offices.
> True? Starting when?
> Thanks if you can help.
> RW
Contact your community's local recorder of deeds office.
> I'm trying to track down a family that owned a historic house in my > community in 1995. They stayed only about a year. I've had no luck > finding them on-line and the folks who bought the house from them are > gone, too (dead or disenfranchised i.e. not likely to care about my > research).
Are you trying to find the name or do you already have that and just trying to find a current address for them?
In article <webbrl-28FDEC.10551626102...@free.teranews.com>, Rebecca Webb <web...@morris.umn.edu> wrote:
>I'm trying to track down a family that owned a historic house in my >community in 1995. They stayed only about a year. I've had no luck >finding them on-line and the folks who bought the house from them are >gone, too (dead or disenfranchised i.e. not likely to care about my >research). A member at the local historical society suggested asking >the post office for a record of a forwarding address.
[ ... ]
If you're looking for the family name, check the local library for city directories around that time--they usually have a section sorted by address. Once you have a name, do a national directory search via yahoo, google, white pages, etc. to locate prospects.
Gary
-- Gary Heston ghes...@hiwaay.net http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/ "Where large, expensive pieces of exotic woods are converted to valueless, hard to dispose of sawdust, chips and scraps." Charlie B.s' definition of woodworking.
"Erehwon" <inva...@address.here> wrote: > "Rebecca Webb" <web...@morris.umn.edu> wrote in message > news:webbrl-28FDEC.10551626102009@free.teranews.com... > > I'm trying to track down a family that owned a historic house in my > > community in 1995. They stayed only about a year. I've had no luck > > finding them on-line and the folks who bought the house from them are > > gone, too (dead or disenfranchised i.e. not likely to care about my > > research).
> Are you trying to find the name or do you already have that and just trying > to find a current address for them?
Have the names:
Richard L. and Kathy M. Gibbs
Want current contact info. I have copies of the county recorder's property transfer records. No help there. Neighbors remember the family but have no idea where they went. No luck with switchboard.com, either. There are no matches in this state (wrong middle initial on Richard) and ten bazillion exact matches throughout the country. Only Kathy M. Gibbs I can find in cyberspace is a life-long southerner and realtor.
Nobody with the same surname in the town they came from. And I'm guessing the NCA folks wouldn't sell a single piece of info to a private citizen...
Not sure how contacting utility companies would help. They'd have simply closed their accounts, then signed up with their new provider after moving. Even if they stayed in state or with the same utility provider, would that company release the info to me?
<web...@morris.umn.edu> wrote: >Not sure how contacting utility companies would help. They'd have >simply closed their accounts, then signed up with their new provider >after moving. Even if they stayed in state or with the same utility >provider, would that company release the info to me?
Typically utilities get the new address when an account is closed in case future contact is necessary. But your are right, they probably would not release that information to you.
Not sure how badly you want to contact these people but the logical step would be to contact a private investigator. A bail bond office should be able to give you a good referral if you can't find one another way. You can get a quote and see if it is worth it to you to proceed.
> In article <hc5dnq$1cq...@adenine.netfront.net>, > "Erehwon" <inva...@address.here> wrote:
>> "Rebecca Webb" <web...@morris.umn.edu> wrote in message >> news:webbrl-28FDEC.10551626102009@free.teranews.com... >> > I'm trying to track down a family that owned a historic house in my >> > community in 1995. They stayed only about a year. I've had no luck >> > finding them on-line and the folks who bought the house from them are >> > gone, too (dead or disenfranchised i.e. not likely to care about my >> > research).
>> Are you trying to find the name or do you already have that and just >> trying >> to find a current address for them?
> Have the names:
> Richard L. and Kathy M. Gibbs
> Want current contact info. I have copies of the county recorder's > property transfer records. No help there. Neighbors remember the > family but have no idea where they went. No luck with switchboard.com, > either. There are no matches in this state (wrong middle initial on > Richard) and ten bazillion exact matches throughout the country. Only > Kathy M. Gibbs I can find in cyberspace is a life-long southerner and > realtor.
> Nobody with the same surname in the town they came from. And I'm > guessing the NCA folks wouldn't sell a single piece of info to a private > citizen...
OK, for what it's worth, there are a Richard L Gibbs, age 55 - 59 years, and Kathy M Gibbs, age 53, in Garrison, ND 58540. This after looking for common states and then common addresses for both on whitepages.com. You can get the address and phone number from directory assistance or whitepages.com. Didn't want to post too much more info out of privacy considerations.
Also, assuming the house in question is in MN, the following on shows up on PeopleSearch which could be the same people:
Gibbs, Kathy age 54 with Richard L Gibbs as a "relative" and addresses in: Garrison, ND Norwood, MN Norwood Young America, MN Albany, MN Glenwood, MN Alexandria, MN Hillman, MN
If not MN, what city and state is the house in? Any idea of ages, middle names, children's names, etc. for Richard and Kathy?
>>> "Rebecca Webb" <web...@morris.umn.edu> wrote in message >>> news:webbrl-28FDEC.10551626102009@free.teranews.com... >>> > I'm trying to track down a family that owned a historic house in my >>> > community in 1995. They stayed only about a year. I've had no luck >>> > finding them on-line and the folks who bought the house from them are >>> > gone, too (dead or disenfranchised i.e. not likely to care about my >>> > research).
>>> Are you trying to find the name or do you already have that and just >>> trying >>> to find a current address for them?
>> Have the names:
>> Richard L. and Kathy M. Gibbs
>> Want current contact info. I have copies of the county recorder's >> property transfer records. No help there. Neighbors remember the >> family but have no idea where they went. No luck with switchboard.com, >> either. There are no matches in this state (wrong middle initial on >> Richard) and ten bazillion exact matches throughout the country. Only >> Kathy M. Gibbs I can find in cyberspace is a life-long southerner and >> realtor.
>> Nobody with the same surname in the town they came from. And I'm >> guessing the NCA folks wouldn't sell a single piece of info to a private >> citizen...
>OK, for what it's worth, there are a Richard L Gibbs, age 55 - 59 years, >and Kathy M Gibbs, age 53, in Garrison, ND 58540. This after looking for >common states and then common addresses for both on whitepages.com. You can >get the address and phone number from directory assistance or >whitepages.com. Didn't want to post too much more info out of privacy >considerations.
>Also, assuming the house in question is in MN, the following on shows up on >PeopleSearch which could be the same people:
>Gibbs, Kathy age 54 with Richard L Gibbs as a "relative" and addresses in: > Garrison, ND Norwood, MN > Norwood Young America, MN Albany, MN > Glenwood, MN Alexandria, MN > Hillman, MN
>If not MN, what city and state is the house in? Any idea of ages, middle >names, children's names, etc. for Richard and Kathy?
I'm finding basically the same info on them as well. Mostly Albany, MN. The records are a bit dated (2002). She was born August 1955?
>>>> "Rebecca Webb" <web...@morris.umn.edu> wrote in message >>>> news:webbrl-28FDEC.10551626102009@free.teranews.com... >>>> > I'm trying to track down a family that owned a historic house in my >>>> > community in 1995. They stayed only about a year. I've had no luck >>>> > finding them on-line and the folks who bought the house from them are >>>> > gone, too (dead or disenfranchised i.e. not likely to care about my >>>> > research).
>>>> Are you trying to find the name or do you already have that and just >>>> trying to find a current address for them?
>>> Have the names:
>>> Richard L. and Kathy M. Gibbs
>>> Want current contact info. I >>OK, for what it's worth, there are a >>> Richard L Gibbs, age 55 - 59 years, >>and Kathy M Gibbs, age 53, in Garrison, ND 58540. This after looking for >>common states and then common addresses for both on whitepages.com. You >>can >>get the address and phone number from directory assistance or >>whitepages.com. Didn't want to post too much more info out of privacy >>considerations.
>>Also, assuming the house in question is in MN, the following on shows up >>on >>PeopleSearch which could be the same people:
>>Gibbs, Kathy age 54 with Richard L Gibbs as a "relative" and addresses in: >> Garrison, ND Norwood, MN >> Norwood Young America, MN Albany, MN >> Glenwood, MN Alexandria, MN >> Hillman, MN
>>If not MN, what city and state is the house in? Any idea of ages, middle >>names, children's names, etc. for Richard and Kathy?
> I'm finding basically the same info on them as well. Mostly Albany, > MN. The records are a bit dated (2002). She was born August 1955?
If the neighbors only vaguely remember them, they might still be able to tell you whether you're looking for someone in their late 30's (if they had a house they were probably at least 20 at the time and 14 years ago would make them at least 34 now) or 80's or something in between (or perhaps deceased by now). The above couple was the only one I could find with matching names and initials at the same household. The connection to MN (the morris.umn.edu address suggests that's where the house may be) and the ages add to the probability. That doesn't mean there couldn't have been many more listings with one or both initials missing yet still be family you're looking for. The more info you have, the better you can narrow down the choices. Of course, a phone call to the above family may provide the only additional info you need. Good luck.
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