Here is my missing link. I hope someone can help. Edward Chase, birthplace and parents unknown; purported to be of the Aquila line; born c.1793, last known alive at age 78 in 1871 in correspondence to his son, Edwin, from Oroville, Butte County, CA where he held title to or an interest in three gold mines; Edward's wife unknown. Two known children: (1) Edwin Wilson Chase born (by repute) in Maine c.1824, took three Masonic degrees from Melody Lodge No. 2, Platteville, WI on 28 March 1850, married Ann Eliza Blackwell of the Virginia Blackwells (this puzzles me - he didn't marry until age 49; could this be his second marriage?) in New Orleans 18 December 1869, fathered two sons, Edward E. Chase and Joseph Carter Chase (my paternal grandfather), left his family behind in New Orleans to either join his father, Edward, in Butte County to take over administration of the holdings there as his elderly father had asked, and/or perhaps to El Paso, TX, or to seek copper in NM or AZ, died in Globe City, AZ Territory 8 March 1893, apparently destitute; and (2) Edward Carter Chase, birthdate and birthplace unknown, died by indian attack together with his wife (name unknown), nine-year-old son and five-year-old daughter near Fort Conche, TX as he returned from the US with funds to build a hotel in Santa Rosalia, Mexico where he owned property containing hot springs. Because of nonpayment of several hundred dollars still owed by Chase, a judgment was secured by one Dona Trinidad Beca and the property reverted back to her. I have no dates for these events. ( A seventeen-year-old daughter was traveling with the family and taken by the indian raiders and never heard from/about again; I wonder if she was the daughter of a previous marriage of either Edward's or his wife's.) My senior Edward Chase had one relative known to me - a sister or perhaps a sister-in-law - who resided in Logan City (present-day Sauk County, Loganville?) WI who wrote to my grandfather's brother, Edward E. Chase, on 2 April 1896 in response to correspondence of his dated 22 March 1896. She writes to "my dear nephew" and signs herself, "N. C. Lane" and was at that time "past seventy-four". [N. Chase? Lane? Probably not. Women didn't retain their maiden names in those days.] She was in possession of records, assembled by "her genealogist" which took the family back to Aquila but she refused to trust the material to the mail of that time, saying "I am very choice of this record" and mention was made about how to accomplish getting copies done. Thus, my reference to our line, via Edward, having been purported to descend from Aquila. I also have one other small nugget (no pun intended!) which I hope may help some California Chases to help me. I have correspondence from one "Maud" (no last name), addressed to her "Dear Cousin Edward" in New Orleans - he at that time was age 22 and a vet of the Spanish-American War - dated 4 December 1893 at Oroville, Butte County, CA. This letter is clearly a love letter disguised as a friendly response to a letter of his. I suspect that she was very smitten with him, and possibly was somewhat younger based upon the contents of the letter. I wonder how they met, unless his father, Edwin Wilson Chase, brought his son(s) out to Oroville to visit the claims at some point. I hope that something here will strike a chord with one of you on the list. I sure hope so! Thanks for anything that you have or may have to suggest as to how I should proceed.