Hi All: If you're at the "wot happened to XXX" question for any of the above surnames from Sheff, read on. In the course of my research about "who was the first Sheffielder (however remotely connected to my HINDE line) to come over to Rockford Illinois", I've gathered a fair piece of information about several Sheffield families, which I'm happy to pass on. Frederick SKIDMORE (1831-1873, Ecclesall Bierlow) married Sarah MILLER in Sheff in 1852. They had at least 5 children: Mary Elizabeth, married Robert MATTHEWMAN in Ecclesall Bierlow 1872 Samuel, married Sarah FIRTH in Sheffield 1878 Susannah, married Thomas STEVENSON in Ecclesall Bierlow 1880 Eliza Miller, married Walter HOLDER in Ecclesall Bierlow 1892 John Frederick, married Martha BELK in Ecclesall Bierlow 1892 and the last two of 'em came to the states. Walter & Eliza M HOLDER got off the Cunard liner 'Umbria' in New York City on 6 May 1895 and were living in Rockford by 1900, where they spent the rest of their lives. John Frederick SKIDMORE sailed from Liverpool to Montreal on the 'Ionian', landing in Montreal on 17 Aug 1906. Whether grossly seasick from the 8-day journey, just lost and confused in general, or on an extended drunk (as one friend has postulated) I know not, but it took until April 1907 for him to wander out of Kenora Ontario down to the American Consulate in Winnipeg Manitoba and declare his desire to cross over to the US, to go to his sister's place in Rockford (Eliza M HOLDER, above). John Frederick SKIDMORE's family followed shortly thereafter, leaving Liverpool on 6 July 1907 on the 'Etruria', landing at New York City on the 13th, and thence to Rockford. Martha BELK's sister, Kate Ellen, married Samuel KEY in Ecclesall Bierlow 1896. After a few years around Sheffield, they wandered down Notts way. In 1909 Samuel went to Liverpool, and sailed out of there on Sep 18th, on the 'Cedric'. He landed at NYC on the 26th, heading for his B-I-L John Skidmore's place in Rockford. The rest of the family followed in 1910, but on what looks like a very arduous (for the times) journey: They left Liverpool on the 'Haverford' on 16 February, and didn't make it into Philadelphia until March 4th - twice as long as the typical trip at the time. The two BELK gals mentioned above were daughters of Isaac BELK (1856-1921, Sheffield) and Martha BINNEY (1847-1908, Sheffield) married 1866 at St George's, Sheffield. All in all, Isaac & Martha had 9 children. The other 7 are: Emily, married Joseph Aloysius HINDE in Sheffield 1885 (They came over in 1911, Joe first, in May, the rest of the family in September) Annie Elizabeth, married William Henry ELLIS in Ecclesall Bierlow 1890 Ada, married George DEAN in Ecclesall Bierlow 1896 Samuel, married Kate THORNTON in Ecclesall Bierlow 1900 Florence, b Jul 1880 in Sheff Isaac, b 1887 in Sheff Lily, b 1888 in Sheff If you're related to any of the above, let me know, as I may well have additional information beyond what's listed here. Dave in coolish Northern Illinois, where it's currently -7ºF, or -22C