mitochondrial DNA - Identifinders International, LLC

Who Am I? What is My Name? Part II – Pnina, Wolfgang, and the Warsaw Ghetto

By Austin Bethell|2022-07-06T01:47:43-07:00December 12th, 2012|

Barbara Rebhun? Convinced that my surname was Rebhun, I contacted Rebhuns around the world. Though the BBC, CNN, and the international press featured my quest, I initially received no responses. Finally in March 1997, the Munich Red Cross relayed a reply from a German named Wolfgang Rebhun, who was searching for his little sister, Baschka (Barbara in German). After receiving the Red Cross letter I began a correspondence with Wolfgang Rebhun. Then after a very short time we went to Germany, to meet Wolfgang and his (and my) sister Adela and some other members of the family. The meeting was very warm and exciting. To them it was a [...]

The Mascot

By Austin Bethell|2011-05-29T19:09:00-07:00May 29th, 2011|

The Mascot Keith Moor, Insight Editor at the Herald Sun newspaper in Melbourne, Victoria recently published an article on The Mascot, the international bestselling biography of Holocaust survivor Alex Kurzem. To read the article in pdf format, click here. As Keith mentions, the foundation of the story is undeniably true. Alex was adopted by the 18th Kurzeme Latvian Police Battalion in July 1942 as a child in the forest around Minsk. Yet my colleague, college professor Dr. Barry Resnick and I have uncovered much that lends doubts to his claims that he was a Jewish boy who survived the Nazi massacre of his family six months earlier; a massacre that in some version [...]

Indianapolis Birth Announcements – Sep 9 & 10, 1948

By Austin Bethell|2011-05-16T02:34:18-07:00May 16th, 2011|

To continue with the Indianapolis birth announcements, here at the births that appeared in the Indianapolis Commercial on September 9 & 10, 1948. Newspaper: Indianapolis Commercial Date published: 9-Sep-48 Name of parents Child Date birth Hosp Address of parents Gibbons, James & Nanette Meth Duler, George & Dorothy [...]

Benjaman Kyle – Indianapolis Birth Announcements – 2 Sep – 3 Sep 1948

By Austin Bethell|2011-01-23T05:45:53-08:00January 23rd, 2011|

Here is a continuation of the list of the birth announcements published in the Indianapolis papers around the date of Benjaman Kyle's birth, believed to be 29 August 148. Today's entry covers 2 Sep through 3 Sep 1948. I have not researched many of these names. As I get more information, I will update the list. If you recognize anyone on this list, please contact me at immediately at colleen@identifinders.com Key (1949 addresses, with current zip codes): Cole = William H. Coleman Hospital for women, 1000 Michigan St., Indianapolis, 46202 Meth = Methodist Hospital, 1604 N. Capital Ave., Indianapolis, 46202 IGen = Indianapolis General Hospital, 960 Locke St., Indianapolis, 46202 Vinc = [...]

Benjaman Kyle – Indianapolis Birth Announcements – 31 Aug & 1 Sep 1948

By Austin Bethell|2011-01-21T23:17:59-08:00January 21st, 2011|

In an ideal world, we would be able to identify all these children but one. That one would reveal Benjaman Kyle's identity. If you recognize anyone on this list, please contact me at immediately at colleen@identifinders.com Key (1949 addresses, with current zip codes): Cole = William H. Coleman Hospital for women, 1000 Michigan St., Indianapolis, 46202 Meth = Methodist Hospital, 1604 N. Capital Ave., Indianapolis, 46202 IGen = Indianapolis General Hospital, 960 Locke St., Indianapolis, 46202 Vinc = St. Vincent's Hospital, 120 West Fall Creek Pkwy N. Dr., Indianapolis, 46208 Where I have parentheses around a child's name, the name is probably correct, but should be confirmed. Date published: 31-Aug-48 Name of [...]

Benjaman Kyle – Indianapolis Birth Announcements, 30 Aug 1948

By Austin Bethell|2011-01-20T22:04:11-08:00January 20th, 2011|

In 1948, the Indy Star and the Indy Commercial newspapers published birth announcements obtained from either the county or from local hospitals. The two papers published identical lists, although sometimes not on the same day, as the Commercial was not published on the weekends. Carl Litel, a friend of mine who was adopted the day he was born in Indianapolis is 1946, told me that he was able to find his birth mother's name by looking through the birth announcements in the newspaper that appeared around his birth date. (See Close Calls, Conclusion?). This gave me hope that maybe Benjaman Kyle's birth may have been announced in the paper, too. Benjaman is a well-known [...]

Benjaman Kyle – Close Calls, Conclusion?

By Austin Bethell|2010-12-30T13:26:11-08:00December 30th, 2010|

All anyone knew about him was that he was born Robert Lee King in March 1949. To find Jennie King's remaining son was going to be tough with so little information to go on. Benjaman Kyle claims his birthdate is August 29, 1948 because he remembers that he was born exactly ten years before Michael Jackson. But memory is a funny thing. Carl Litel, Jennie's second known son, was adopted the day he was born, February 5, 1946. Jennie held him only once before he was taken away. Carl's adoptive parents Joseph and Cecelia Litel provided a wonderful home for Carl and his adopted brother James. The couple also had two natural [...]

Benjaman Kyle – Close Calls, Part III

By Austin Bethell|2010-12-23T01:34:52-08:00December 23rd, 2010|

From 1938 through 1953, Jennie Lee King gave birth to four boys, putting the older three up for adoption or in foster homes. She was born Barnett Rudio in Louisville, KY on December 20, 1918 the daughter of Wallace Rudio and Lillian Barbara Winkler. Jennie may have been born out of wedlock as, soon after she was born, Lillian married Walter L. King who supposedly adopted her and renamed her Jennie Lee King. Jennie moved with her family to Indianapolis, IN in the 1920s. Soon after graduating from Technical High School, she became pregnant and gave birth to her oldest son Michael Lee King on March 23, 1938 at St. [...]

Benjaman Kyle – Close Calls, Part II

By Austin Bethell|2010-12-14T13:24:36-08:00December 14th, 2010|

Since I have been involved in trying to identify the amnesiac Benjaman Kyle, I've seen many leads come in, ranging from the casual to the very serious. Many people have contacted me that they are related to Powells or Davidsons (or both). Many people have written to direct me to websites describing missing persons who they believe might be Benjaman. Many others have sent in pictures of their relatives, friends and acquaintances who they believe resemble Benjaman, in a sincere desire to assist in his identification. One example of a Benjaman look-alike is this picture sent to me by Mary Beth Pierson who believed her former neighbor resembled him. I agreed, although the neighbor had been a pilot [...]

Benjaman Kyle – Close Calls, Part I

By Austin Bethell|2010-12-12T02:00:05-08:00December 12th, 2010|

Hi Colleen: I read the article about you in the June 2010 issue of More Magazine, and am curious about one thing. Are you the same person who competed on Wheel of Fortune in 1991? If so, I was one of your competitors. Just curious! Margot Theresa Cox In fact, I was on Wheel of Fortune in 1991. (I lost. I was the third contestant in line, and the other two women, including Margot, mopped up on the puzzles before I could get a letter in edgewise.) When I wrote her back, identifying myself as her competitor, Margot answered: When I got your response I had to [...]

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