Hello everyone, Cathy, you have taken on a tremendous task, and I'd like to say I appreciate everything you do. I would suggest that everyone look at the state coordinator job description, for lack of better wording. I took one look and knew I couldn't do it. It's unbelievable. As far as not finding your ancestors...I have had the same problem. It is not with the way info. is currently entered into the database. It is how it is originally done, many moons ago. I have the surname MEIER, for example. I've also seen it spelled MEYER, MEIERS, AND MEYERS, and if that isn't enough, I have an average of 3 birth years for at least 3 of my ancestors. Now as if THAT weren't enough, I've found a lead that the name may actually have been HOHEMEIER. I've come up with a solution, and it has saved my sanity... 1. Make a list of all surnames you are researching. 2. Write down every possible variation, including phonetic. (bear with me, I'm serious here. It helped me tremendously.) 3. When checking by birth year, always go + or - 5 years. And if it is a year such as 1854, check 1864. Back then, they used pencils, inkwells...manually inking pens skipped like crazy, and pencil fades. I hope these tips help someone out. Using the info. above, I've actually come out ahead in some searches...including a ggAunt who, for whatever reason, lied about her age. She was 4 years older than she let on. What a stinker. Anyway, Good Luck to Everyone. Leanne Mitchell