>My areas of special interest are the French, Mariposa County, Santa >Clara County, researching localities of the old mining communities, ole >JR Norris, and the BERRYESSA family! > >It would be nice to know the areas of special interest from other >listmembers:-) I'm researching the descendants of James SULLIVAN, b. 1814 in Ireland, who arrived about Jan. 1850 with his wife Bridget and three small daughters (Mary, Delia and Ellen), set up Sullivan & Secor, coopers, with Theodore SECOR, and for whom Sullivan Alley (now Shaw Alley) in San Francisco was named. James Sullivan's children were: 1. Mary (March 1844-Dec. 21, 1884), married Mattias RIEHM, lived in Virginia City, Nevada. Eight children. (My great-great grandmother) 2. Delia (1846-before 1926) 3. Ellen (1848-before 1926) 4. Margaret Virginia, (10 July 1851-15 March 1926) better known as the actress/dancer/singer Maggie MOORE. See http://www.geocities.com/heartland/bluffs/4646/clipdex.html for a sampling of articles about her. Married first J.C. WILLIAMSON, then Harry ROBERTS. No children. 5. Francisco, born after 1851, married John F.O. COMSTOCK, superintendent of the Underwriter's Fire Patrol. Two sons. Died after June 1926. 6. Katie, born after 1851, died before 1926. 7. James "Jimmy," a jig dancer, born after 1851, died before 1926. In addition to Jimmy and Maggie, two of the eldest girls also performed on stage; I'm trying to nail down which ones. Maggie got her stage name from a man who maried one of these sisters. Another of the sisters was married to Sam PIDGE, a saloon-keeper in Virginia City. I'm also interested in the early history of San Francisco, especially the early theatres (for obvious reasons) and the Vigilance Committees. Joann Betschart | [email protected] | The voice in my head snore | Genealogy: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Bluffs/4646 | Work: http://www.sacbee.com/neighbors/zones/eg_laguna (I'm just the copy editor)