Hello Steade and All - . I know the lure of GOLD was there, and lots of people moved heaven and earth to reach California as soon as possible once the discovery was announced in 1849. So I checked the 1850 census at FamilySearch, and found the following: . Placerville & vicinity, El Dorado County, California - 30 October 1850 - image 34 of 135 . house 6 Peter COOMBE, aged 22, gold miner, England (this is the correct age for Peter in 1850. based on his baptismal record in St. Austell & the 1841 census) Stephen WEBB, aged 23, gold miner, England house 7 Henry BAWDEN, aged 35, gold miner, England Peter McDONALD, aged 27, gold miner, Ireland (and he had $500) house 8 John TRELOAR, aged 40, gold miner, England George COLWILL, aged 35, gold miner, England James RICKARD, aged 36, gold miner, England . This may or may not be the Peter Coombe for which we're searching, but I thought it was interesting that a small group of Cornish folks seemed to be living near one another - in a sea of Yanks! . The researcher who's looking for information said she thought Peter went to California in 1850, and Elizabeth Coombe (her 3x grandmother) didn't arrive until 1852 - which might mean she'd appear in a census somewhere, or not. I couldn't find her in Cornwall, and Corinne Thompson can't find either of them in Australian records thusfar. So we have yet another member of the missing brigade! . Still haven't figured out the circles, either. Perhaps we'll never definitively know why they're there, but I still favour the romantic concept of "a bit of the old country" being with them. . Am off to see what more I can find in Cornish records for the family. Never know, something good might turn up! . Thanks for the input, and Cheers, . Julia website at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~staustell - for information on St. Austell, Treverbyn, Charlestown, Par, St. Blazey, Tywardreath, and St. Ewe!!