Here's a change of pace: I have the murder victim's story, and want to find his family. Can you help?? In 1859, Peter Lassen was an early settler in NE Calif. Peter, Mr Wyatt, and Ed Clapper were on a prospecting trip when they were ambushed, in the Black Rock desert, north of Reno, Nevada. Mr. Wyatt faked being dead, and witnessed the shooting of his friends. When things cleared, he returned to Susanville, Calif, where he described the shooting, including the location of the wounds. His account is found in the later published History of Lassen county. Peter was apparently more known (the county was later named for him), and when a rescue party returned to the murder scene several months later, they retrieved the body of Lassen, but buried Ed Clapper at the site. No one has ever figured why, except that Clapper was less known to them. Over the years, no one was able to relocate the remote gravesite. In the early 1990's, persons out 'four wheeling' in the desert came across an eroded grave near a stream bed. Based on the still evident wound to the skull, it was determined that this was in fact the remains of Ed Clapper. The skull was sent to the Smithsonian, where a forensics expert created a computer aided reproduction of what Ed Clapper looked like. Following that, the Lassen county historical society made arrangements for a long delay proper burial (and funeral service, some 130 yrs after his death), and Ed Clapper now rests beside his friend, Peter Lassen. At that time, I managed to locate individuals researching the Clapper surname, and was also able to narrow down the likelihood that he may have come from the area near Stark county, Ohio. One lead was when old family photos sent to me by one researcher showed a striking resemblance to the computerized "photo". Also, another researcher in that area recalled hearing the familiar 'went west and was never heard from' story in their branch of the Clapper family, but she was unable to provide definite connection. I am looking for help in or near Stark county, attempting to find any probate file in the 1850-1870 time frame that could connect, or mentions an Edward Clapper. There was a second Ed Clapper in Stark county, who married ca 1870, it is not him. One intriguing clue: Ed Clapper had fillings in his teeth. Was there a Clapper dentist in Ohio prior to 1860? I have extensive files on branches here, but still need help. Even if he did not marry/have descendents, surely he had siblings who always wondered what happened to him? Wendy Dolphay