How to contact a living cousin

[alliejaye]

good luck I have had success with writing letters, one took forever to get back to me, turns out he is was having treatment for cancer so he got back to me when he could. Don't give up hope you don't know there circumstances, and if it doesnt turn out at least you tried.

[BMcAleer]

Check death index. Reason for lack of response: he died in 1999. Still looking for living Phillips cousins.
Beth

[radstockjeff]

You have to be prepared for a rebuff. I had a similar experience when tracing my wife's line a couple of years ago. All was going well until I came across a birth out of wedlock. I wrote up a possible scenario for her cousin, posted it off and have heard nothing since!

radstockjeff

[Coromandel]

Reason for lack of response: he died in 1999.

Well, I suppose being dead is quite a good excuse for not being interested in one's family history.

[Dorset Girl]

Contact Living Relatives: Second Rule:

Obtain birth certificate of cousin to ensure he/she is definitely related to both parents in your tree.

I didn't, and chased what I though was a one remaining) first cousin, had correspondence with his step father who assured me he would be delighted to hear from me and they would get in touch when the mother was no longer sick. Sadly the mother died and I heard nothing so I kept chasing my "cousin", sent him photos of his mother and my Uncle, a drawing, details of the death of my Uncle - no respons - absolutely zilch. Several years passed and one day I decided to splash out and get my cousin's birth certificate -surprise surprise - my cousin appeared to have been born in July 1944 - my Uncle (his supposed father) died in the war in Dec 1942!!!

I can only assume that his mother never told him that my Uncle was not his father, and he only found out when she died - hence the reason for not bothering to contact me!!

Marion