Hello to the List, I have recently subscribed to the Van Buren County list. The families I am researching are Rail and Hootman. I am descended from Benjamin Rail (originally Reigel, Riegle, etc.) and Susannah Mohler through their son Joseph (b 1817) who married Sarah Hootman, (b 1825) a daughter of Jacob Hootman and Mary Christina Shook. I am also researching the Beck family, and I just had a major break- through today on this line! While rather casually looking at the Van Buren County Archives online, I spotted the name of my husband's 2nd great-grandmother, Almaria Beck Smith whose name was given in the obituary of her sister, Jane Beck Willitts. The parents of these children are Leonard and Caroline Beck, according to the obituary. I have a great deal of information on the Rail and Hootman lines, which I will gladly share, and of course, I would like to find out more about the Leonard Beck family. Did Leonard and Caroline go to Washoe Co., Nevada, with Almaria? The other siblings mentioned in Jane's obituary, Nancy Beck Willitts and George Beck, were both living in Livermore, California. Does anyone know where the parents died? Happy searching to all, Jane Atherstone