Georgia Tann
// October 24th, 2004 // people
About 60 years ago, my father was adopted to my grandparents through a Memphis, TN adoption agency. My grandparents had nothing but praise for the “good, Christian woman who was doing God’s work putting babies where they belong”. The agency was The TN Children’s Society Home and it was run by Georgia Tann. Ms. Tann has been the subject of several books and made-for-tv movies. She took babies from desperate families looking for temporary assistance and had them sign away their rights without them even knowing it. Ms. Tann lied to large numbers of the birth parents and told them their babies died. Couples who had large quantities of money ($5,000 or more was a lot in the 40s) were given the babies. Exchanges were made in empty fields and other places that would allow no witnesses. Growing old and physically as well as emotionally very ill, Ms. Tann destroyed most of her records. My brother and I have tried in vain to find out something about my father’s birth family but despite numerous letters, fees and phone calls, we have almost nothing. I’m certain that my father’s birth mother is dead, but it would be nice to know what her occupation was, how long she lived, her medical profile, etc. We have a possible name for a birth father, but who knows what is right and what is wrong in the tangled mess of lies left behind since most of the people involved are long gone and all that is left are the now adult children who will never know if they were “stolen babies”.
5 Responses to “Georgia Tann”
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Cyndi’s List if Genealogy Sites on the Internet
TN_CHS_GENEALOGY. A mailing list for anyone interested in finding the ancestors of those whose lives were influenced by Georgia Tann and the Tennessee Childrens Home Society black market baby operations. To subscribe send “subscribe” to tn_chs_genealogy-l-request@rootsweb.com (mail mode) or tn_chs_genealogy-d-request@rootsweb.com (digest mode).
Statistics of Adoption
Dear god, I had heard about the Tann babies and have even watched a couple of shows about that evil evil woman. I can only wish you the best of luck trying to find out something about your fathers biological family tree. OOOO it just makes me so angry thinking about that horrible Tann woman – may she rot in hell.
I ust wanted to tell you there\s a new bok out now on Georgia Tann called The Baby Thief: The Untold Story of Georgia Tann, the Baby Seller Who Corrupted Adoption. I’m the author — Barbara Bisantz Raymond. The book might tell you more about Tann than is generally known. Email me directly if you have any qetions. And good luck in your search.
[...] a certain period of time has passed, the secrecy is no longer needed. I’ve said before that my father was adopted. I’ve whined about the brick walls that have kept us from learning everything the state has [...]
I had a cousin that was adopted from there. I would like to find her. Years ago I did some research and a lady in Memphis has some records. I found out she was adopted by a family named Madison. I have more detail somewhere. She was born in 44 or 45