I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but I have noticed in a couple of my lines that fathers were able to read and write (often they were born in the original colonial area), but their sons could not. I wonder if this might be due to that fact that schools were not as prevalent as the families moved westward, and maybe the parents weren't able, did'nt have time to, didn't think it important to, teach them to read and write?? Just wondering. I am a history major, but don't recall anything specific on the speed/spread of education during the early westward expansion years. Wilfred.