Thanks for the quick response. I will keep your info. Unfortunately, at this point I know so little about Mary Ann Murphy ( b. 1842 AL according to 1880 census) that it is impossible to say if we might connect. Does your Murphy family have an oral tradition of a grandmother coming over from Ireland as a little girl with 2 sisters, Mom and Dad to land at Galvston, Tx? I was told this by a great aunt many years ago, but she was unclear as to which grandma it was -- Elliott, Murphy, Moore or other.... So I am trying to narrow it down. Supposedly, this took place when people were starving in Ireland, probably not the great famine tho, as so far all my ggm's were born in US according to census so it would have to be earlier, prob. early 1800's. I do know that Mary Ann Murphy had at least one bro who survived to adulthood, as an elderly cousin told me about a trip to visit him, but no name. Thanks again for your input. Karla