Twenty-five years of research has not brought me any closer to connecting to Ireland and it has become a toilsome pursuit. I have recently uncovered a lead that seems to be leading nowhere and hoping someone either on this side or the Irish side of the ocean can help with. My progenitor and 3rd great grandfather arrived in US some time in early 1800s. I recently discovered a Patrick McLaughlin arriving in Philadelphia on Sept 8, 1801, on the ship "Active" sailing from Londonderry. The ship's records give no additional info of any significance. I am wondering if there is by any chance additional records available from the departure side of the trip? I know from previous research that many times peopel traveled together from their origin and after arriving here traveling to their destination with these people or others they might have met on the trip. The connections I can (possibly ) tie to this therory are several family names that ended up is the same area of south eastern Ohio and the fact that a couple of these names eventually married into my McLaughlin line. A couple of the other names on the ships list were Gibson, Moore, Wood(s) and Law. Family tradition says the following: That Patrick and a brother (name unkn) ( there was a James McLaughlin on this ship, but he was in cabin while Patrick was in steerge) came to this country into Baltimore. I can find nothing to prove they landed in Baltimore. That they were from or sailed from County Cork, Ireland and lived in an area called Dobbins Glenn. I am hoping there might be someone in Ireland that might know of such a place as Dobbins Glenn as this would be a tremendous help as I haven't been able to find such a place. One line of Patrick's offspring say that they were Scot/Irish and possibly came from Scotland. So as the years go by and I am over taken by age I am wondering if this mystery will be or even can be solved. I would appreciate any help that anyone my be able to give on this mystery. Sincerely, Garry L. McLaughlin The Past makes us who we are ..... http://www.gbso.net/actor/actor.htm The Past makes us who we are ..... http://www.gbso.net/actor/actor.htm