A few years ago I spent a couple of days in the Groton/Ledyard area, searching for the parents of my 3rd great-grandmother Thankful Whipple, (c. 1781-1862), wife of Ebenezer Hempstead. I also spent a few hours at the Connecticut State Library but came up empty-handed. I have been searching, without success, ever since. I have a few possibilities and would be grateful for any help. First, does anybody have information about Elijah, son of Zephaniah and Keziah Parke Whipple? His wife was Rebecca (dau of Avery Denison and Thankful Williams). Elijah reportedly went to Trumbull Co OH in 1835 to live w/his children. Elijah could have been the father of my Thankful Whipple - based on following: 1. He lived at the right time and place, and there are 2 females in his home in the 1790 census. I assume one is a daughter, since both his mother and mother-in-law died before 1790. 2. My Thankful could have been named for Thankful Williams Denison, possibly her grandmother. 3. My Thankful had a granddaughter named Adelaide *Denison* Brewster. She had daughters named Lucy, Eliza Leeds, Maria and Esther, and at least one son - name unknown, but possibly William or Henry. Maybe those names are clues to identifying her ancestors. Are the names known for any of Elijah's children? Who was the one that moved to Trumbull Co OH? I'd like to try to find living descendants who might have more information. Also, with the name Thankful, I wondered if there could be a Rogerene connection - they often used Christian qualities when naming their daughters. I have ruled out Thankful, the dau of Silas Whipple and Esther Watrous - she is too young by 15 years and her marriage is documented in records. Second - I have also wondered about William Whipple who was married to Mercy Gallup. Could they be her parents? Thankful and Ebenezer lived among the Gallup families on Shewesville Road, Ledyard, early in their marriage before removing to Norwich (Yantic Mill area) between 1810 and 1820. Third - One more possibility is the following marriage, per William Williams, JP of Cider Hill, Ledyard. Whipple, Samuel & Bathsheba Holt, 29 Nov. 1778. This was apparently Samuel's 2nd marriage. He might be the Samuel who was married (1) to Eunice Mitchell. She might be Bathsheba Lamb, widow of Nathaniel Holt. I'd appreciate more information about them. Could this provide a clue to Thankful Whipple's family? Holt was Ebenezer Hempstead's maternal ancestral line. Ebenezer was engaged in manufacturing in the 1810 census. He may have moved to Norwich to work in the mills there. He last appears in the 1820 census in Norwich, and his wife is head of house in every census thereafter until her death. I have visited her grave in Yantic cemetery but have no idea when, where or how Ebenezer Hempstead died. Are there newspapers that cover Norwich for years 1822-1830? Thank you so much for any help! Judy in Georgia