Any NYC experts out there? I have been searching for my great-grandparents, William Stewart and Lizzie Robertson in Brooklyn. Long, sad story - the father left the family to find work. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children removed my grandfather (William Robertson Stewart) and his younger brother (Hector Stewart) from the home. Court records show that William and Lizzie showed up in court, William agreed to pay a certain amount per week to support his children, but disappeared from the picture. Lizzie, unable to care for her 3 sons, allowed the 2 older boys to be placed in the Five Points House of Industry. The youngest, Charles, was too young and sickly and was sent to live with an aunt, a Mrs. Margaret Sweeney. No trace was found of the father, William H Stewart. Lizzie died sometime around Jan 1907. After that time, the 2 older boys were sent west on the orphan trains by the Children's Aid Society. As far as I know, my grandfather never had any contact with baby brother Charles. I vaguely remember him talking about his brother Hector. Although there was no contact from William H, the father, years later my grandfather received a letter from him. It was a heart-breaking letter that had me (a cool, cynical, know-it-all 20-year-old) crying my eyes out. Unfortunately, the letter is long lost. I am desperately searching for William and Lizzie's marriage record. My grandfather, the oldest, was born in Apr 1893. I have to assume that William and Lizzie married about a year before that. Any suggestions would be great - I feel a great deal of love for Lizzie, an unusual closeness. My grandfather cared dearly for his mother and named his only child after her, my mother, Lois Elizabeth. My older daughter, in turn, was named Elizabeth. My younger daughter was born with gorgeous honey gold hair that we feel certain is Lizzie's contribution and reminder. City directories have been searched, death records have been studied, I even had the chance to go through marriage record films in the SLC FHC a few years ago, with no success. Please, give me ideas. I live in Austin, TX, and a trip to NYC is not possible! I love belonging to this mailing list. Everyone is marvelous. I have been on other mailing lists where there is constant nit-picking and meanness (from which I have unsubscribed). Diane Wrightsman