1. Legal notice of adoption – These were often printed in legal journals that can be viewed at a legal library. Some courthouse have a law library that you may be able to access.
2. Relinquishment Papers – These are only available to natural parents. Adoptees will not be able to obtain them from the agency. However, if you are a natural parent, ask for them. It is a document that is yours and should be provided to you.
3. Telephone Books
4. City Directories
5. Marriage Records – These are filed in most states on a county level and filed by the grooms name and the brides maiden name. You can search by either name. If you find a marriage license, you may want to check the local newspaper for a wedding notice, or the bridal registry at several stores. Bridal registries usually maintain the information for one year past the wedding day.
6. Divorce Records – These are filed in most states on a county level as well in the Prothonatary’s office. The divorce decree is public record and you will be able to see if there are children, a name change, and the information is more current.
7. Obituaries – You may be able to obtain information on the person you are seeking by finding other family members who have passed on.
8. Year Books – If you have an idea of where the person you are seeking went to school, check the year book for a photograph, extracurricular activities they were involved in, and other members of the class whom he or she may have known.
9. Census Records – This is a resource that can be searched online and used to find family members of the person you are searching for so you can trace the family line to the person you are seeking.
10. Voter Registration – With all the privacy laws and such I don’t know if this is still public information or not. If it is, you can obtain current and updated information such as an address or full name.