I also have sat and read this list, and there seems to be so much good information going back and forth. You are all doing great. It's a good list with lots of action. But I have to say that I feel like an orphan. No one seems to know my Dodson Ancestor, George Dodson. I have to admit that I don't either, as I have never found anything but his signature on a marriage permission for his daughter Mary Jane to marry George Hitt in Bracken Co, KY in 1857. I have done much research in this area each summer and have found many good records in Bracken Co, KY and surrounding area. Not as good as Maryland or Virginia records, but pretty good. I have the line of Hitt back to the 1714 immigrant and beyond, and in many of our lines from this area, we have had great luck and success. We have been doing research since 1980 and have had great fun. But Dodson is one of my orphan lines. So many of our ancestors in Mason, Bracken Co, KY were originally from VA, that I just feel that George's ancestors have been talked about on this list, but I cannot connect. Can anyone give me advice as to how to research my George Dodson? If only I had found a George with a young Mary or Mary Jane in census records, but I haven't even had that much luck. Thank you. The McGuires jdmcg@worldnet.att.net -----Original Message----- From: Gerie Smith <bills5@bangornews.infi.net> To: DODSON-L@rootsweb.com <DODSON-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Friday, January 23, 1998 4:20 PM Subject: Tracing back earlier than 1850. >Dear Dodson cousins, > >I have been a member of this list for almost a year now and have had not >any luck finding anything on my Dodson ancestors. I see tons of data >weekly about all the Dodsons back in the 1700 and early 1800', but >unfortunately I can't seem to get back any further than 1853. >