In a message dated 7/3/98 10:19:11 PM Central Daylight Time, GRAMMA_SUE@prodigy.net writes: << GenTips-L@rootsweb.co >> Susan & others, If you've got the place they were from in Norway, or Sweden, or other Scandinavian countries, you're way ahead of the game. Simply go to the Family History Center & ask for help ordering the parish register from that place. (Some of what you've got may be the farm name, which might slow you down some, however, rather than the parish name.) Scandinavian parish records are wonderful, and one only needs to know a few words in whichever language to be able to extract the information you need. Pay close attention to the sponsors at the baptisms as well. Generally (not always--there's always an exception), most of the people will be close relatives, usually aunts & uncles for the most part. This can give important clues in sorting out the next generation, especially if there are four Ole Olesen's in the time frame you're looking for. As for the name change, if you can find the right parish, just look at the date and you should be able to figure out from there which baby was born on that date & if the first names are matching, that's more than likely the match. Sherman may be an Anglicization of the farm name, which many Norwegians adopted in addition to their patronymic. Patronymics are wonderful clues as to the next generation back, so don't let the idea of "the name changing every generation" scare you. While I'm far from a Scandinavian expert, I've done both Swedish & Norwegian research--and don't feel that it is any harder than what you run up against in US research--in some respects--easier, especially if you're using Swedish records with their clerical survey, in addition to the parish register. Karen