I think Marilyn asked a hypothetical regarding a research method. > My question is - if you don't know that your ancestor > lived there and you only have a name and no additional > info to connect to - how can you assure that this is > your John Dwight and not another one? Marilyn and others (me too!) will no doubt be in the same fix again with another line, even if the Dwight branch is solved, asking, "Where did this ancestor come from???" In other words, How do I trace the geographical meanderings of an ancestor from point A on the map to point B, where I know point B but can't get back from there and learn wherever point A was? I am at this brick wall myself at the moment. One standard way is to read the book, "History Of Point B," which will sometimes have this information. In my case, for my Benjamin B. Powers, the relevant book does not. Another way is to check birth/marriage records, which might give a place of origin for a parent or newlywed. In my case, for my Ben, no such records exist. How 'bout a compiled genealogy? For me, nope. OK. Now what? I would like suggestions too. I have been reading through land deeds, out of desperation. That means severe eyestrain, which is why I ordinarily avoid land records. But, I have noticed, specifically in Pomfret, Vermont, about more or less 1800 up to 1820, that a deed always, inevitably, gives the residence of both buyer and seller. Thus, say at Pomfret, VT, a deed might show "I John Fratzerwattle of Pomfret do sell the farm to Timothy Nubgludgeon of East Overshoe." It would appear this way ONLY for Timothy's FIRST land purchase. After the first deed, Timothy will turn into Timothy of Pomfret. Here is a place where Nubgludgeon researchers could find Timothy's Point A, East Overshoe. And, with Point A now known, might have a chance at finding birth and/or marriage and/or other records there. Unless, of course, they have luck like mine. (According to the nonrecords, my Ben had no birth, didn't marry his wife, wasn't a head of household, but alas wasn't a criminal either, and bought no land.) Are there other ways of finding out where the heck an ancestor came from, geographically? We, the legions of the frustrated want to know! Lester ________________________________________________________________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.