Dear Friend WW, The EPV Papers are an online gift, but need work to come up to the quality of organization Mr. Valentine did with his data. I wrote a nag to them, "Poor, Poor Poor," but I don't suppose it will do much. Usually they don't understand what I'm talking about. But first of all, no page references when you access the info, and so therefore, it makes it difficult to use them in a proper way in any paper or work. Many mistakes in indexing if one has to rely on the search engines. Names left out. I would love to have the published set of books, but, ah well........ Per your comments on the Williamsburg papers and resources, yeah, Wmsburg would be great, but greater still for me would be going to the University of Virginia. They have so many excellent things online, but it would not equal being there; walking where Jefferson once strolled .... Another alternative resource which might intrigue you are the Draper Manuscripts, which have been microfilmed. You can access them via your local library or of course, "the family history center nearest you." (LDS!) I've been browsing through other online sources, trying to get my ideas crystallized for my speech. http://personal.pitnet.net/primarysources/ Another online source you might find illuminating is Documenting the American South http://docsouth.unc.edu/ A little further back in history -- they have a copy of the published Domesday Book here in Oregon at the Salem archives, and I had plotted for two years to go and browse it before I left Portland. ah well .... The Smith family Mr. Valentine detailed, as well as what I believe is mine is one of those genealogical mysteries. It appears to me that nothing has been done on them since Mr. Valentine died in 1908. People just wrote down what he deduced, and then over the next hundred years (almost!) they have just copied and recopied. "Garbage in, Garbage out!" I have the utmost respect for Mr. Valentine, however. He's one of the few who proceeded in a very scholarly way. BUT, I find his conclusions about William Smith are UN-scholarly!! Ah, well .... So very nice to hear from you. I hope you've had a blessed holiday and are looking for to a better New Year. With love and regard, Carolyn