Thank you all for sending me the article. It is very interesting. I do have an e-mail that has been sent to Ethan except I keep wanting to call him Nathan and make him part of my family. It would be nice to have genetic information on him or another male from his family since there is 200 years of information on this 20 year olds family. It appears that his grandmother is still alive and I do have a snail address that appears to be one for her, but if I can establish contact with Ethan Cowan, I would rather do that - maybe we could pass the hat for his genetic information. For those that I have totally lost - HOORAY FOR PACKRATS. "In 200 Years of Family Letters, a Nation's Story," by Kirk Johnson (New York Times, 29 January) writes about a Cowan family that has kept letters written to one another for more than 200 years, creating one of the largest private family troves that has turned up in recent years. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/29/national/29letter.html?emc=eta1 You will probably have to sign up to read it, but it is worth the time. Makes you want to pack up right now and go make this family your newest best friends. <g> Make sure that WE know what Cowan, etc line you are researching - none of us can help you if we don't know who you are or even know you are on the list. I do a lot of looking at Cowan, etc. info that is not my line and you never know what I will turn up!!!!! Laura Cowan Cooper of Kodak, TN lauracowancooper@comcast.net