This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: Robert_Ankenbauer Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.massachusetts.unknown/7524.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Terry; I have Smith's in my tree as well and they are so tough to track aren't they? It took me months and years to finally get them all sorted out. And Smith wasn't all that common in Southern Indiana back when my Smith's were living there in the 1850-1880 time frame. But trying to locate Smith's in Chicago and Boston in those time frames is pretty daunting. When your John died was there a will or probate for him in NY? That may help shed some light on his background as well. Also military service could help too? He was pretty much too young for the civil war, but perhaps after that? The reason I ask all of this is because it seems like it might be possible that the informant on the death certificate may have put the wrong name for his father. I have seen before where the informant will give their fathers name instead of the deceased. There are of course other possibilities, such as the family was not enumerated in 1850 or 1860 or his father went by a different first name officially or used his middle name... there are many possibilities. It does seem unlikely to me that John C Smith's birth would not be recorded and then we wouldn't be able to locate him in two different census' 10 years apart. But it is a possibility. Just for the sake of playing devils advocate, you seem pretty confident that John arrived in Machias NY in 1874 from Chicago. How do you know this? Why would they go from Boston to Chicago to Machias, NY? Sometimes tossing these sort of questions may help uncover other information. One more: Does John have any siblings with him in Machias. I know you mentioned possibles in your early posts, but anyone more definite? Robert Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.