Another point, as long as we're dissecting online protocols ... if you do participate in a message board or mailing list, and you make contact with someone who might have information you can use, please don't ask them to contact you directly instead of posting the information to the online discussion. Yes, if you have sensitive information and/or information on living relatives, by all means, keep it private. But if you're discussing relationships of ancestors, some small nugget might well be a gold mine for someone like me who is struggling with multiple brick walls and a couple of needles-in-haystacks. People researching incredibly common surnames like BROWN can appreciate this. I publish every scrap of information I get my hands on - confirmed or not - because there is great error-correcting power in a collective group of users working toward the same goals. Share the wealth. My .02. Peace, Bud Simpson - Kansas City, MO www.roots.budzilla.com