In a message dated 14/01/2004 13:52:01 GMT Standard Time, wsmithso@erols.com writes: > I am looking for descendants of Grace Smithson, daughter of Christopher > Smithson and Dorothy Calvert who married a Conyers. Smithson lived at Moulton, > Yorkshire, England. Calvert was a sister to Sir George Calvert who was the > 1st Lord Baltimore and foudner of Maryland. > Chris Smithson > Chris: I have a pedigree of the Conyers, Baronets, of Co Durham, a line which actually ended in 1810, the last Baronet having been "rescued" from Chester le Street Workhouse by a group of Co Durham gentlemen, led by Robert Surtees of Mainsforth, the county historian and including Shute Barrington, Bishop of Durham. I find the question of his descendants fascinating - it involves several widespread families from the northern part of Co Durham and Tyneside. I also have a copy of Geoff Nuttall's book "Who was Lord Conyers?" (ISBN 0 9536149 0 5). I have looked through each of those but can find no Smithson reference. Obviously something more detailed is required, and I suppose the standard Peerages should be looked at for the answer. No doubt it is in Burke. Surtees gives some details of the Co Durham side of the family in at least two places in his "History of the County Palatine of Durham". One thing strikes me as odd - were not the "Peerage Conyers" Roman Catholics? As the Smithsons were Church of England, I wonder whether it was perhaps one of the younger branches of the family into which they married. No doubt you will already know of the Smithsonian connection and that to the Duke of Northumberland, whose surname should be Smithson. Best wishes, Geoff Nicholson 57 Manor Park, Concord, WASHINGTON, Tyne & Wear NE37 2BU (0191 417 9546) Professional Genealogist - Northumberland and Co Durham.