After reading all the posts for several weeks I am convinced that this is the place that can help me knock a couple bricks out of the wall. Now I humbly ask for help from the generous members who know the ins and outs of the city. I would like to find a birth record for Michael S. GARRY, census and death record (1914) states he was born Dec 1853 in NYC. The death certificate lists parents as Bernard GARRY and Katherine RILEY, both born in Ireland; married, I don't know where. I have searched the Census of New York (the whole state) for 1860 and 1870 many times over and can find no Michael living with a Bernard or Katherine using various spellings. Also searched surrounding states. I believe he was an only child. He moved to Chicago in 1873 and married there in 1874. No further data on birth or parents found in Chicago. Is it possible to get a break-through without mortgaging the farm? Perhaps he lost one or both of his parents before the 1860 census and was living with another family, but I find no census record that fits or that I can verify. I checked the Emigrant Savings Bank and found a Kate Garry in the index but no other records. Online available directories have not produced any clues. Please point me in a positive direction. Any and all help greatly appreciated. Thank you, Carol