This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/YWC.2ACI/5298.1.1.1.1.1.2.1.1.2.1.4.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Hello Jack, Glad to hear the parents names for Michael and Catherine McGinnis from their US records matched the parents names for the Leitrim marriage even though there's no location connection for them as yet here from their US records. There could have been several marriages of Michael Reynolds and Catherine McGinnis (and the surname variations) in any location in Ireland during the time period prior to their children's births. The State Archives or NARA wouldn't have all the local town/village civil records information from the towns or villages where they lived in the US nor are much of any US RC church records computerised or available anywhere but the local church. So the lack of information in the State Archives about the RI born children's births isn't surprising. So you need to contact the local governmental jurisdictions and local RC churches where they lived to look for more detailed information rather than concentrating on the US national and state records as I previously mentioned. (See additional information I've posted on that for your "Lime Rock" location). Name density charts and Griffiths in Ireland aren't complete records of where everyone lived for various reasons. So while they can be used somewhat as a guide, without a specific connection to a location from their US records, they're best used when the locations here are known from their US information. The US census records include "number of years here" or immigration dates so you can verify that through the census. The family should also be in the US 1870 census as well as the census records subsequent to 1900. All the census records included naturalisation information for all family members. The 1900 US census and 1910 should be especially helpful with that detail. Because naturalisation was a multi-step process, all the records in the process need to be reviewed. Those first or initial papers can be very helpful in your search. Another source which I didn't include in my previous list of research sources is obituaries. If Annie told her children she was from (I assume born in) Leitrim, there may be mentioned in her obit or even a birth location or her siblings obits. Regards. Eilís O'Hara Ireland