Hi everyone, I've posted a couple of notes about Almira BATES of Oswego Co NY (early 1800's) on this list over the last few months and got very nice/useful responses. Reviewing the LDS IGI, Ancestral File, and 1800 thru 1830 census and reading between the lines, I'm now leaning in a different direction, still searching for her parents. I suspect now that her father may have been either Oliver Bates (b. 7 Jun 1784 Shelburne, Franklin, MA), his father Oliver (b. Aug 7, 1763 Ashby or Shelburne MA) or Oliver Sr's brother Samuel (b. abt 1765 probably Shelburne). The lines of these three lead back to the immigrant ancestor Edward Bates of Boston of the 1630's, but I still have no documentatation connecting Almira with any of them. Here's a rough timeline,.. I'm hoping someone may have some extra details to add to or refute this theory, or to determine for sure if it was Oliver Sr, Oliver Jr, or Samuel! (as well as who the wives were). Bef 1790 - Oliver Bates removed from MA to Randolph VT (reported by letter from Bates Assn included in the Rev. War Pension Application microfilm for Oliver...... that would seem to downgrade Oliver's chances for Almira's fatherhood.... maybe Samuel stayed behind in MA??) Abt 1800 - Almira Bates born in MA (based on 1850 census info). Bef 1810 - Oliver and Samuel Bates families migrated to Jefferson Co, northern NY. Samuel Bates family lived "next door" to Henry Shaff family in Houndsfield or Henderson, Jefferson Co (based on sequence in 1810 census) 1820 - Henry Shaff's son Thomas Shaff had married Almira Bates, and the young family was also living "next door" to Henry Shaff and Oliver Bates Jr in Houndsfield. Samuel Bates had evidently died before the 1820 census, since he was not listed anywhere and an older family headed by Sally Bates was the "next door" neighbor. Abt 1822 - Thomas Shaff and wife Almira Bates moved to Hannibal, Oswego Co NY and had at least 4 children born there or Oswego the next 10 years. 1828 - Oliver Bates Sr died in Henderson, Jefferson Co. (Rev. War Pension Application files and LDS IGI/Ancestral File) 1830 - (census) Thomas Shaff family living in Hannibal. Oliver Bates Jr, and another brother Asa Bates had moved from Jefferson Co to Volney, Oswego Co. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help. Wayne Olsen Bonney Lake, WA