Hi All you Cuz's.........Way, Way, back, we must all be related, as the Irving's/Irvin's/Erwin's and all other spellings seem to have one thing in common.....the family men seem to "walk away" at various times without much explanation and are generally never heard of again........Case in point: My Irving line: My Father, William Wilson Irving, born 1902 at Lexington, Fayette, KY died Middletown, Butler, Ohio 26 January 1986 always with his family of six children and wife, Ruth Rainwater, 1901 Casey Co KY, died Middletown, Butler, OH 25 May 1988. William Wilson was only son of Henry Irving, born at Lexington 1874 died Middletwon 1936 and Mayme Rogers, born Lexington 1876 died Middletown 1954. Henry Irving was son of Thomas Irving, born Annan Parish, Dumfriesshire, Sct 1839 and died ???. Thomas came to USA in 1859, claiming Naturalization at Cannelton, Perry, IN in 1864. He married Letitia Long of Lexington ca 1870 and had three children: Margaret 1870, Henry 1874, and William 1876. He was with family until after 1880 Census and then according to family history, left without a word ca 1883 due to family turmoil with wife. Family history indicates that the family Lawyer saw him ca 1886 in St Louis, MO at a cattle sale and stated that Thomas said that he had been raising cattle nearby and was "fed up" with America and was selling out and returning to Scotland....Never heard of again....Have never found records indicating Thomas left US..................Son, William was a witness to the marriage of Brother Henry and Mayme Rogers in September 1898 but had left Lexington by 1900 Census. Family history says that Willliam wrote to his Mother ca 1902 saying that he was living in Colorado and working in a gold mine, and was engaged to be married. His Mother is said to have written him saying that she would never welcome "a western gun moll" into her home and that if he married she never wanted to hear from him again. He was never heard from again. My research indicates a William Irvin died at Golden CO in 1905 and is buried in the Golden Cemetery. There was no response to my request for burial information.................So, while thank goodness my Grandfather stayed with his family as did my Father, two other members of the same family "walked away"................. Would appreciate any data that the maillist might have on this family......I tend to feel that Thomas remarried without a divorce from Letitia Long Irving, and continued living in US but have no proof. Hal, from winter quarters in sunny AZ