BJ and all; I don't know exactly what that "no copies" thing was about, as all lineage societies and pioneer certification groups I'm aware of do accept copies of original documents. If there is any question whatsoever, you would just have to have a notary public or holder of the document certify it as a "true copy of the original". Unfortunately, although I do sympathize with your stand on the "paper trail" question, there are generally some documents available to prove beyond a doubt the names and dates in question. It can be a pain. But it is necessary -- not just for your own records and family research collection, but especially if you are trying to establish an ancestor or yourself for historical connections (DAR, SCV, SUVCW, Colonial DAmes, etc.) The US census is a wonderful tool, but is generally not accepted as proof of anything unless it is specifically stated on the enumeration. Take a look at some of your census records. I believe up to 1880 it did not actually specify what the relationship of members in the same household was. Many people have assumed a young person in the household was the daughter or son of the married couple, only to learn much later he or she was a niece, cousin or younger sibling having the same surname. And the usual mystery is caused by not really knowing who answered the questions for the census taker. A child, a neighbor, the mother in law? They may have given answers without really knowing, or may have just mixed up the information with another part of the family. I did some research for a friend who lived with her grandmother for years so she would not be alone. In one census, she was not listed at all. Apparently, the grandmother's residence info was given by a tenant, who did not realize the grand-daughter was a permanent resident. A few blocks away, the parents of the girl did not list her with them as they knew she had moved! Because vital records are not available in some early years, most organizations accept such verification as Bible entries, church and cemetery records and even obituaries if added to other documentation. It is really very easy in many cases to add a certain person to the ancestry and then find out years down the line that you have "gone off" on the wrong family branch. Really depends on what kind of family "package" you intend to put together. Some of us just get whatever we possibly can and hope someone will make the decisions later based on what we have found. Others are extremely detail oriented and never get around to expanding at all. Hope I have helped in some way. Ann Bergelt