To all the people who sent me a message. Thank you all for your kindness I have printed all your msgs off as I dont yet know how to save them. I would like to reply but as they only have a name on them and not e-mail addresses I dont know how to reply. The ones who were of particularly invaluable help (when I contact a friend to explain how to make use of the information as I really dont know how to use a computer internet and have only been doing Family History classes for 8 weeks) were the names of: Sharon at Bakerfield Ca, Becky (death cert info). Jettie Parish, John Bartos(your information looks very helpful) and Nan and George Wolf thank you for tracing the death date and other info. It would be wonderful to find out something for my father about his long lost family. He was born in 1912 in north of England, his parents were very young and apparently unmarried. His father went to war, they were going to get married and then his mother caught the fatal influenza virus that swept the world and killed millions in 1918. His mother died 3 days before his 6th birthday and was buried on his actual birthday of 9 July 1912. His father placed him with his mothers half sister to be brought up with her family (my dad calls her "my Saviour" and says but for her he may have been put in workhouse). When he was 10 his father John Reay emigrated to USA, leaving Great Lumley my dad's home village and sailing from Liverpool England on the ship Celtic in 1922. His father was then aged 33, his birthdate was 9 October 1889. He continued to send the family who looked after dad letters and photographs, one of which showed his new wife, her mother and a baby son aged 7 mo! nths. On the photo it said the name of Mrs Heffer or Hoffer or Hoffon this may have been his new wife's maiden name. I think this was the mid 1920's. He wanted my dad to be sent out to join them but the family in Lumley did not want to let him go because they loved him. My dad is now in his 91st year, he may still have living half brothers and sisters in USA. We have that picture and cutting of his Uncle Joseph Ray who lived in Arkansas area in 1924 and that is all the clues we have. Dad thinks he heard tales of at least 2 other brothers in USA. There was also a brother William killed very young early in first world war and a sister Susan who lived in North of England. Unfortunately as Dad never knew any of these relatives and does not know where his father was born in England I am at a dead end at present. Thanks a lot for your help. Trish [email protected] England