> In researching our roots, I find my Great Grandfather Philip > Showalter was adopted. I have only the surname of his natural > father, which is Winehold, and am currently trying to identify him > further. > > Genealogically speaking, am I a Winehold or a Showalter? Or equally > both? Or what? > > edroid <jshowalter@gmail.com> Ah, the twists and turns in the hunt for our ancestral lineages. I have a similar situation, only a generation earlier than yours. Strictly speaking, you are a WINEHOLD if the connection is an all male lineage. That said, and the fact that this was your GG father, the amount of WINEHOLD blood is rather small. Thus, you might as well consider yourself as a SHOWALTER. Genealogically speaking, this revelation simply adds another avenue to be explored. All it really means is that you should consider researching both lines --- I would not place significant effort in the adoption family as it does not affect your blood line. A couple of generations is probably all that is necessary. OTOH, you should continue to pursue the WINEHOLD branch. If you find that you are not making progress, put it aside and make a separate study of it later. (I put mine aside for nearly 30 years.) The trick is to always keep it in mind when looking for other data. Happy successful hunting! Regards, Arnold <><><><><<><><><><><><> Arrowhead Images <surveyor999@a-znet.com> <><><><><<><><><><><><> My family crest is a shield with a crossed knife and fork over a dinner plate.