Lynne:  You don't say from what area your Peter Dutton might have been.  I have a database on the Duttons in Wythe County, VA and have a Peter Dutton b. abt 1817 in Wythe Co. Va, s/o Joseph and Christine Groseclose Dutton.   Joseph Dutton was s/o Adam Dutton of that county.  Adam Dutton descends from the German family Derting/Darting.  Some members of this family who descend from a Johann Derting of Germany gradually "evolved" until their name was Dutton.  This was a prolific family which spread out into Kentucky, Tennessee, and I think if you are having problems finding ancestors of your Peter Dutton, that might be the reason why.  I don't have any descendants on this Peter Dutton, but the fact that he named his first son Joseph might indeed indicate that this was his father's name.  Let me know if this fits at all, I have more on ancestors. This is not my line of Duttons, at least I don't KNOW that it is, (all of you who are seeing me struggle with my "orphan" Jeremiah Dutton, this is your cue to chuckle a little)  But as a result of looking for his parentage I am winding up with one of the largest databases around of Duttons in the South. Sue Dutton Rodgers, Eureka Spgs. AR