Afraid I'm alurker also. My grandfather, Archibald Calhoun, was born in Scotland in 1827, coming to America in 1834 with hisparents and 6 siblings. They settled in Delaware County, NYS where 3 more children were born. I know his parents Peter and Ellen (Helen ) McAuslan were married in Luss, Scotland in 1802. Two of Ellen's parents had preceeded them to the statesMy grandfather wanted to join the gold rush, but his father insisted that he wait until he reached his majority (21) ast which time he gave Arichabald his birthright (a herd of cattle) and his blessings. Archie drove the cattle to New York City, where they were sold and he took passage on a ship to the Isthmus. Like everyone else, he walked across the isthmus of Panama, got malaria and then took passage on another ship to San Francisco. While he apparently didn't find much gpold, he seemed to have made a very good living acting as a trader, a hauler, and a rancher. He must have found some gold, because he had rings made for his mother, his sisters and each of his brother saving one for a future bride. In 1871, Archibald returned to New York, stopping in Sherman, NY in Chautauqua to visit his younger brother James, who had married Fidelia Rose. This couple had raised Fidelia's little sister from childhood. Archibald Calhoun and Alleda Rose fell in love and were married three months later and (he was 43,mshe was 19) and head west again where they settled on a bend of the Humboldt river in Nevada, had 6 children of whom 2 died in infancy, evenually returning to Sherman where Grandfather died in 1902. I've got most of the families from G. Grandparents on down but still haven't found very much about my scottish ancestors who stayed in Scotland. That's why I'm a lurker. I know it was right and proper to continue the family names from generation to generation, but it certainly gets our hopes up for a moment when we see a lineup of Peter, Malcolm John ,Archibald, Duncan, James and John and then realize they didn't come from Dunbartonshire. Mary Calhoun VanAlstyne