Thanks to all of you for your really helpful responses. I am in Great Company! I feel much better knowing I am in the same boat as all of you rather than on a sinking rowboat. I have renewed inspiration. Since reading the replies as they have been posted. I have sent out an email to the four individually asking if willing to accept a group mail effort and for confirmation of "Distant Cousin" so I might further check out the "In Common with" feature. Hopefully, good response will lead to asking their also checking the "In Common With" feature. Having tried a number of different ideas: 1. first contact emails; 2. an index card setup to keep track of and cross check 198 matches for Doug (Leon) and near 170 for my own FF matches; 3. a four foot long butcher paper setup to try and keep track of where the matches are on the 22 chromosomes for all those contacts for quick visual reference; 4. trying printouts of the various excel matching reports one to the other; 5. copious notes; 6. posts on the various surname forums; I was looking for an easier, better, more efficient, productive, ............... when you guys find it, please let me know. Thanks for all the great posts. Linda McKee