This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Dowden Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/EEB.2ACE/762.3.1.1.1 Message Board Post: This is where it gets complicated. My mother married Edgar Dewayne Dowden of Anacoco, Louisiana. He was born Edgar Dewayne Brister to a sixteen year old single mother, Lonnie Brister. She later married Jack Dowden and he adopted my Edgar(Ed, whom I refer to as "Daddy") For most of his life, he thought that he was legally a Dowden, but found out in his twenties or thirties that the adoption never went through! He then legally changed his name to Dowden. His Dowden half-siblings are Jack David Dowden, Judy Dowden, and Steven Dowden (there are several Steven Dowdens). All I know about Daddy's step-father's family is that he had a great uncle Marion who was also from Anacoco. Sorry, but that's all I know. I wish I could be more help.