> What interesting contributions to this thread from Cod, Handler, > etc. All very elucidating. > Though oral history is sometimes flawed, it can encompass traces of > the truth and give clues where none come from more authoritative > documentation. My St. Croix family's "13 girls" turned out to be an > orphanage in Upstate New York where my St. Croix g-g-grandmother > taught the Sabbath School. So there are often threads that run true, > if one can sort them out. Bottom line: Listen to the oral history, wonder about it--and play your hunches! Then hunt for decent documentation. Cheers, Laura