Connie, You don't say how old Alfred was when he went to USA in c.1850. I take it you have previously explored the possibility of the 3 Williams below;- William HEDGES (=the Elder or 1st), Married Rachel SMITH 1763; they had 11 children, including William (I call him Wm. 2nd) HEDGES, baptised at Faringdon 1767; he married Ann HUMPHREYS and they had 8 children baptised at Faringdon, including William (in this sequence Wm.3rd) HEDGES , baptised 1789. I have no further data on this Wm. 3rd except that he does not appear in Faringdon Census in 1841 (although his father Wm 2nd seems to be there , as a "70" year old Tailor living with his other son Charles): there are several William HEDGES buried at Faringdon but none I can spot of the right age for Wm 3rd: with a bit of luck, Wm 3rd might have moved from Faringdon pre-1841 and fathered your Alfred & Charles HEDGES in 1810+? Happy Hogmanay, Alan King