Hi Paul, A couple of things. 1. I take it you have accessed the usual "JigSaw" agencies - I am assuming you have such things in the US? You have certainly taken on a task! I think as family historians we can all appreciate your wish to seek out your roots and that it in no way reflects on your adoptive parents - you speak so well of them. 2. Some thoughts on grandmother JOLLY - as a nurse myself I wonder if you could trace her by looking for her nurse's registration details. In Oz we are required to supply name, address, MAIDEN name and place of training - I am referring to a Registered Nurse by the way. I don't know how you would do that. We have a Nurses Registration Board in each state easily found in the phone book. You say she was a Licenced VN so that licence would be the thing to track. 3. Is there a Veterans Body that you could write to asking info on grandfather JOLLY? Do you know anyone who could do a drivers licence check for you in case he has a current licence (that is a long shot :) Don't limit yourself to that age group for g/ma & g/pa as your mother may have been the youngest of a long line of siblings! Check the Death Index (cannot remember what it's called for his death perhaps - gat a few likelies and eliminate. That is my 2 bits worth anyway Paul. Good luck and please keep us updated! :) Kay >Paul can be reached via email: > >work: paul.bishop@fmr.com >home: pbishop@mediaone.net > >Or by telephone: > >work: (508)787-9143 >home: (508)481-2536 > >Thanks once again. > >- Paul Bishop > a.k.a. "Baby Boy Jolly 8/7/67" Kay Hinnrichsen Mandurah, Western Australia Listowner Rootsweb *JOLLY *BOSANKO *TONKIN Lists - also searching for WILSON, ECCLESTONE, HINRICHSEN and more http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~kayhin/ Research Names: http://carmen.murdoch.edu.au/community/dps/research/hin02.html