Hello Forbes Listers! I am new to the list so I will tell you about my brickwall. I hit it years ago and just can't break it down. My ggg grandfather Francis FORBES first appears in 1799 at Lady Yesters Parish in Edinburgh where he marries Elizabeth BROOMFIELD or BROWNFIELD (mistakenly written as Brown in the PR) on the marriage record he is said to be a gentleman's servant. Next he appears as a grocer of Canongate on his first two children's baptisms. Then the family shift to Glasgow where my ancestress is baptised. Her father is again a servant, then when the next two children are baptised, both in Glasgow parish, he is a spirit dealer and a wine merchant. The last of these children is born in 1807 and the family disappears. Later in the census of 1851 another Forbes is living with the eldest daughter of the family and he says he is her brother and he was born at South Leith. I have not found his baptism there at all, but he was born about 1817/18 so it would seem the family moved back to the Edinburgh area and had many more children that I have not located. In 1834 my gg grandmother Elizabeth was married at Melrose. Her husband was the son of a family who had 600 acres but he was just written up on the PR as Andrew Lees whilst his wife Elizabeth was written as Miss Elizabeth fforbes. My elusive Francis does not even allow me to know whether he was working or middle class. On Elizabeth's death certificate her father is down as a gentleman. He certainly led an interesting life but I have no idea where he was born or where the family moved after leaving Glasgow about 1807. >From the names of their children Francis' parents where probably Robert or Francis and Janet or Jean. He might have been born anywhere but I have found a Robert Forbes married to a Jean Dunlop in Glasgow who was a sergent in the army. They married in 1770 had one child in Glasgow and disappeared. His regiment moved about in Scotland then went the America at the time of the Revolutionary War. No more children appear anywhere until 1780 when Robert was back in Glasgow and out of the army. He also had many occupations including clerk and wine merchant. My Elizabeth was born in 1779 so probably Francis was born during the years that the family of Robert and Jean Forbes disappeared. So the big question is, of the people who are still reading and have not given up, are there any of you who have any idea what I should do next to find Francis and his family after they left Glasgow and Francis baptism? Are there any military records of baptisms of the children of non-commissioned officers at that time 1770-80? Robert was in the 4th regiment of foot. All ideas are welcome and I would love to hear from you. Regards, Gene. ----------------------------------------------------- Click here for Free Video!! http://www.gohip.com/free_video/