This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: LHSwisher Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/topics.researchresources.brick-20-walls/183.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Goodness! It is never easy to trace a tree back to the 1600s, especially with a fairly common name like Baker. That can take decades. If you found it easy, perhaps what you HAVE been doing is following online trees that others have posted. Tracing your tree means verifying that everything you find is indeed your line, complete with proof and citing all your sources. It means that you have done this same verification for everything that others have posted. You won't find links going all the way back; they don't exist. And finally, because only a fraction of genealogical information is online, tracing one's tree also includes research on-site, in archives, in libraries, in microfilm, etc. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.