Dear Arleen and all, No I didn't receive a virtual bouquet, but it's not necessary. Just keep supporting the Huerfano County site is all I ask. But I did get a giggle out of your message. I could feel your excitement!! Believe it or not folks I get just as big a kick out of finding information for you, as you do to receive it! This was one of those cases where I had a hunch and BINGO I was right. Now how do I explain this without writing a book... First it is important to know the migration patterns when you're doing research. This applies not only to the New Mexico - Colorado scenario but the westward expansion from the east coast also. I have found many of my personal lines coming from the east by following the migration patterns. Hence, if you follow some of the main migratory routes from NM you will go through Conejos on your way to Huerfano County. Also, please remember that I have been doing this for 35 years, so I know to look in surrounding areas just in case a family doesn't fit the migration pattern. Sometimes something clicks in my brain and I know I've seen that family listed in one record or another so off I go searching. Usually if I have a definite date I can find something. Unfortunately I've forgotten more than I knew <very big grin>. Back in 1988 I transcribed the Conejos records from the original Spanish records so I have them here in the office. I offered them for sale during and after the Conference. No, these records are not online yet but I do hope to get them there someday. As I stated in my message to the list entitled "various records" today, I have records from many different places and my dream is to put them ALL online. In my office I have a large walk in closet that houses three 4 drawer filing cabinets with stacks on top, and one whole wall of bookshelves from top to bottom just crammed full of 3 & 4" notebooks full of records. Then I have all these boxes sitting around with more records in them and tons of floppies that I am now trying to get a handle on. My goal is to "de-paper" this office, meaning it's all going to get posted online. So you see why I am always asking for help in various projects. There's so much here that I want to give to all of you and I just can't do it alone. One day the boys and I were discussing my work and I said "Hell, I'm not running out of data, I'm running out of time!" <grin>. Now, one of the things we saw in Arleen's brick walls was that she had the wrong parents listed. That is not uncommon. Usually this happens when you get names from your elders. When you turn that information over to someone else, like me, I approach it with an open mind because I'm not stuck on what great Aunt Bea said. So I can look at it in a purely professional way. For this reason I always tell my researchers to have someone else look at their information when they're stuck. One of the neatest things that happened at our Conference was when we were at the barbecue and we all sat around talking. Shalane and Ilene both approached me with "What do I do now?" They had found a piece of information and didn't know where to go or how to follow up on it. I gave each of them my opinions and I hope it helped. You should have seen Shalane, she was making notes as fast as I was talking. I got a giggle out of that too. Well folks, that's what I'm here for, to help you further your research. I LOVE it. Anytime I can help someone out it encourages me to keep going. So Arleen...sweetie, you made my day too by posting to the List how excited you were to receive the information. The next brick wall I want to blast is Bobbi's. She's been looking for those elusive Bachicha's for ages and can't seem to make headway so I think we're going to gang up on them and see what we can do. What do you say Bobbi? Works for you, right? Now, any of you that seem to be up against a brick wall, drop me a line and let me know what you have, what you've found, and where you've looked. This is critical! With this information, I may be able to help, although there's no guarantee on anything <grin>. Depending on what I'm working on it may take a few days for me to get back to you, but I try to do it as fast as I can. Now my first paragraph needs some expanding on...supporting the Huerfano County site. What do I mean by "supporting"? As you all know I have spent the last two summers out in the field trying to film all the headstones and get the photos all online. Not all of them are up yet. So your financial support for that project would be welcome. It takes money for gas, batteries, floppies, etc., let alone the money it costs me every month to stay online and keep the site going. It never has to be alot of money, but every little bit helps. Even $5.00 would help out. For those of you that can't help financially, no problem, volunteer your time to help on a project, to type things up or to transcribe records from microfilm at your local FHC. When I mentioned scanning these newspapers and sending them out, the response has been WONDERFUL. This is the kind of help I need!!! Another thing you can do is to stay on the List and participate in whatever is being discussed, good, bad, or indifferent. The more you input, the more I output. Encourage each other and never hesitate to jump in and make suggestions or to help a fellow researcher. Especially our newbies. We were all there at one time or another. Let's all help each other and have some fun doing it! Karen