Hello folks, In March, I described the meagre details I had on my 3d-great grandmother Maria WOODS, who was born circa 1791 in Warrington to a surgeon father. I did not then know the names of her parents. I think now I may have identified Maria's parents. Peter WOODS, surgeon, of Winwick and Mary RIGBY, spinster, of Billinge married in Billinge 23 February 1790. This information comes from the Billinge Parish Register 1696-1812 (Church of England) as found on Ancestry. Having thus identified Peter WOODS as surgeon, I also find the marriage in the IGI, batch M004743. This is the only surgeon named WOODS I have been able to find who matches the criteria of time and place. It is possible that Peter WOODS and Mary RIGBY are my 4th-great- grandparents. Given that WOODS was a surgeon (he would have been older, having gone through some sort of schooling) and that he seems to have died prior to 1799, this may have been a second marriage for him. Did Peter WOODS of Winwick, surgeon, have a previous marriage? If so, to whom; and were there children? In what sources can I find more information on the life of Peter WOOD, surgeon, of Winwick (and possibly also of Billinge) and Warrington? I need a birth date and place, and parents' names. There were many Peter WOODS born in the area; but which one became a surgeon? Did Peter WOODS and Mary RIGBY WOODS have a child, Maria or Mary, in 1791 in Warrington? There is no trace of Maria or Mary WOODS in the IGI born in 1791 to a couple named Peter and Mary WOODS. Did Peter WOODS the surgeon die by 1799? Where is he buried? No will or probate listed online seems to be appropriate. Did Mary RIGBY WOODS die by 1803, which is when her daughter was supposed to have come to Canada? Had Mary RIGBY WOODS remarried after Peter's death? Where is she buried? There is a story that she died in Tuam ... but the which Tuam? the one in Galway or the one near Enniskillen in Fermanagh, Ulster. What was she doing there? Did she have family there, when she was married as "spinster, o.t.p." ("of this place", i.e., Billinge)? Did Peter WOODS the surgeon have family there? There is suggestion that an adoptive or step-father GREENHALGH (or variant GREENHILL) brought Maria to Canada; but it is not clear if there was a marriage to Mary RIGBY WOODS. I find no possible marriage searching the IGI by name or by batch numbers, but some time periods are missing in the IGI. Maria, by the way, identified as Church of England in Canada; so the denomination for parish record searching is pretty certain. Happenstance: Maria WOODS, in Canada, married a British soldier Andrew HILL who was born in Killesher, which is near Enniskillen. Happenstance: There is a British soldier Peter WOODS, born in Tuam, Galway, whose military records in the 32d Reg. of Foot cover 1807-1819 (National Archives WO 97/509/165). Given the Tuam connection, might this person be a son of Peter WOODS and Mary RIGBY? Lots of questions. If anyone has read this far (!), any additional information, or clues and leads on where to look next, will be very helpful and *greatly* appreciated. Donna Dinberg Ottawa, Ontario, Canada blacknus@rogers.com