Hi Andrea and others, I need to correct my response to Andrea Crowell's question - the Oliver who I think may be a candidate as father of my 4th ggmother Almira Bates was a descendant of Edward Bates (b. 1605 of Boston, Lincolnshire, England, d. Mar 25 1665 in Boston MA). I had previously responded that Oliver was a descendant of Elder Edward Bates of Weymouth. Sorry about that. I found info yesterday that leads me to think that the Samuel Bates of Houndsfield, Jefferson Co, was NOT Oliver's brother/uncle, and was more likely to be Almira's father. A short bio in "History of Jefferson Co., NY, 1793-1894, by John A. Haddock, stated that Merrick M. Bates was a son of Samuel Bates of Houndsfield, and was born in Brimfield MA in 1801. The father Samuel came to Houndsfield in 1801, purchased 285 acres, built a house, then returned to MA to fetch his family, who then came in Dec 1802. Since my Almira was born in MA around 1800, maybe I've hit paydirt. Anyone have info on this Samuel Bates family living in Brimfield, MA? He served in the War of 1812 defending Sacketts Harbor, NY, and died in 1813. His wife's name was Sally, and she was listed as head of household in the 1820 census for Houndsfield. Wayne Olsen Bonney Lake, WA