thank you marilyn owen for your reply. most info i received of the history behind immigration to america stated that for those earlier ones(pre revolution) originated from virginia. to settle thereafter in other states. i have not found a ships list for this. understand that most of these records were kept in england. the earlier arrivals , it was stated were from england..to virginia. some had been given land there , others took passage free in exchange of services. others, from various other european areas came later. the date jamestown was established is helpful. it was also suggested tracing the path of your ancestors from one state to another in conjunction with dates of what was happening then provides not only a story but setting them in context of history. when i began my search it was from my own family and the state they were born in. i went to the state archives for more, sent me tips, thus this led to virginia..for this surname.. i also checked the state of s.c. and ga. each went back to virginia..so it seems all roads lead to virginia. however, i have found that many records had been been destroyed not only for certain years. which makes many sources incomplete. i have also been told that BOOKS by family's are not considered THE reality of it. thus leaves us in a quandry between a rock and a hard place if so many records were destroyed. willette