Thanks to everybody who's sent information about my Charles Laird of Pleasant Valley problem. From my notes, I tried hard to find him in 1993 (been working on this project for over 10 years now!), but I seem to have run into too many possibilities; maybe this summer I can take a concentrated look at the 1860 census, especially for Ohio & Pennsylvania. On the chance that you might enjoy the letter, I'm enclosing it below. By the way, "Uncle Merry" is NOT a member of the Laird family! The subscribers liked to think of themselves as "Cousins", with the editors of the magazine as "Uncle" & "Aunt". "Uncle Merry" is "Robert Merry", the supposed editor of the magazine. Pat Pflieger feste@keystonenet.com (from "Robert Merry's Museum", Aug 1860, p. 60) Pleasant Valley, June 20, 1860. Dear Uncle Merry:--I take the liberty to call you Uncle, for I presume you are Uncle to all who take the Museum. I am six years old, and mamma said that if I would speak on the stage at our school exhibition, she would give me a gold dollar. I did speak, and here is the dollar, which I send you for the Museum this year; and mamma is going to give me one dollar more for not drinking tea or coffee this year, which I will send to you for the Museum next year. Direct to your nephew, Charlie Laird.