The agency in Frankfort, KY that you contacted was probably the Office of Vital Records, Dept. for Health Services. Depending on the adoption law at the time, they should have been notified that an adoption took place in a certain county and that they should prepare an amended birth certificate for the adoptee and place the original birth certificate in a sealed file.

Someone listed Kentucky among states that did not prepare amended birth certificates until a certain year between 1935 and 1941. Therefor, there was no reason to inform the Dept. for Health Services of any formal adoption that may have taken place. So, it is possible that grandma was adopted.

In the 1970s I heard that birth records are accessible at county public health offices, and I published that fact in "The Reg Niles Searchbook for Adult Adoptees," issued in 1978 and now out-of-print.

Adoption records are filed in each Circuit Court of Kentucky.

You might also want to see how grandma handled the question of her parents' names on various documents, such as the federal census of 1930, kindergarten record, marriage license, and application for a Social Security card.

I was unable to find grandma on the online Social Security Death Index, which I searched without knowing her married name. Not every American is on the SSDI. However, if you have access to her Social Security Number and wish to spend $27.00, you could apply for her SS5 form to see what she listed for names of parents. If you wish to do that but do not know how, send me an e-mail message. If you click on my name where it says Author my address will be visible.

Reg Niles