Chris, Christopher Brooks wrote: > Could your Asa/Asahel have backtracked from west to east? (Yes, I > know it's improbable, but ...) > > 1850 Census, Porter, Oxford, ME, recorded 9/05/1850: > > Asahel Brooks, 50 > Betsy C., 45 > Samuel, 24 > Betsy A., 22 > Timothy, 21 > Lucy, 10 > Asahel Jr., 8 The above Asahel is not mine. In 1850 my Asahel Brooks was in Wisconsin, Iowa County. Asahel could have backtracked west to east like you say, Chris, but it would have been done much earlier; i.e. he could have been in NY first and then went to Bennington County, VT close to the 1820's to meet the Mears. Or, Asahel may not have even been in VT at all and met the Mears when they arrived in NY. My Asahel Brooks and family are the following: Asahel Brooks b 1800 MA Betsy (Mears) Brooks b 1804 MA Harvey Brooks b 1827 NY Polly Brooks b 1828 NY (my ancestor) Florinda Brooks b 1830 NY Henry Brooks b 1833 PA, Erie Co. Asahel Brooks is in the following census records: 1830 New York, Saratoga Co. Concord Twp 1840 Illinois, Rock Island Co. 1850 Wisconsin, Iowa Co. Pulaski Twp 1860 Iowa, Mitchell Co. Richfield Twp 1870 Iowa, Mitchell Co. Lincoln Twp The census records are all consistent with Asahel's age (b 1800) and his birthplace as being MA. All but one of his children have been consistent in the census reports in indicating where their father was born. All say MA. except one son has indicated that his father was born in NY. Asahel may have left MA early and went to NY and he could be there in NY in the 1820 census. I am going through the Brooks that are in NY Saratoga County in 1820 to see if Asahel could possibly fit in some place since he is there in 1830. Christopher Brooks wrote: > Since I can't find your Asa's birth in Massachusetts vitals, I tried > MEARS, also found as Mear, Meare, Mere, and Meers. I found ONE and > only one Isaac, and then searched for related records and associated > given names, with the following results. Sources are fully itemized > following the extracted listings. I appreciate you taking the time, Chris, to follow up on my Mears. I do have data for them, but will certainly check to see if your information coincides with mine. How lucky you are to have the CD's for reference. Thank you for your continued interest and support, Chris! Martha Heinrichs