In a message dated 98-07-22 16:56:05 EDT, you write: << Ray, just for the heck of it, will you check for a John Downing [c 1760 ?PA - 1838 IL], married Hannah Frakes [1766 - 1842 IL] do Robert Frakes and Mary Dawson? There has always been a story in the family that the Downings were Quakers way back. >> No luck, Cheryl. My Quaker records show 11 John Downings, but nothing even close to a 1760 birth date. Closest is 1742, and no marriage to Frakes. I wouldn't give up on it, though, as I don't know how complete these records are that I have. There's a thing called the "Hinshaw Records" which, I believe, is more complete. If you could find those in a library, it would be worth a look. Ray