Happy New year all... after several years abstinence I am going to continue working on family lines....... Barnes is my maternal side. When I last left it, Joseph Barnes, born 4-18-10 in Penn., place unknown, was last spotted (going backwards in time) in 1840 in Crawford Co., Pennsylvania. They lived next door to John Medlam, who was the father of Joseph's wife, Susan. Their children were named (in order of birth) Mary, John , Elizabeth, Joseph, William, Matthew, Sarah. If I follow that the children, Mary & John were named after Susan's parents (who were John & Mary Medlam), then I would expect that Elizabeth and Joseph would be Joseph's parentage. However, it has always been rumored that Joseph's father was a man named John Barnes and that he died when Joseph was a small child, but I have been unable to confirm any of this. My other mystery is Joseph's second wife, Sarah Christford, from whom my line descends. They were married Sept. 10, 1855 in Albia, Monroe Co., Iowa. She was listed as a "widow" on the marriage license. I have been unable to locate her maiden name anywhere or even a Christford lineage in either Iowa or Penn. If anyone can shed some light on these mysteries I would appreciate it. My website for further information on collateral lines is: http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Andes/4144/page4.html I have only listed 3 or 4 generations of each line due to privacy issues but will be happy to send further information to researchers. Andrea Woodson awoodson@advertisnet.com