In a message dated 9/13/99 7:54:18 PM Central Daylight Time, mjhanna@jps.net writes: << Since 1803 several hundred Laird's have been hung on the mythical family tree but fortunately we can say with pride that not one Laird has ever been conviced of any crime. No Laird has ever been accused of any criminal act or dishonesty. >> What's this??? That would be the ONLY family in history that can claim that... besides, my aunt was working on our LAIRD line and got to a generation where there was a horse thief. She was so horrified, she tore up her notes and it's taken many years for the rest of us to catch up to where she was. I got as far back as John and Nancy Laird (Lard) from Kentucky, who moved to Missouri. Such a stretch, but gee, Kentucky is the (some might say) land of the finest race horses, so maybe I found it. Of course, there are/were horses in LOTS of states so that isn't necessarily true. Anyway, just wondering, doesn't anyone have any colorful ancestors to 'brag' about?