When I first learned my ggrandfather, Hugh Howard MacDonald, was born in Nova Scotia and moved to MA I thought it wouldn't be too tough to track him down. Then I posted my query and was repeatedly told "there are thousands of those across NS". With the LDS 1881 census I was able to find in NS: 276 Hugh MacDonalds, of which 95 were in Antigonish county, 56 Inverness, 51 Pictou, and 25 Cape Breton. That's a bit more managable. Since I'm looking for Hugh son of Hugh that narrows it down (though Hugh Sr. may have died by then). I still haven't determined which one of the 31 Hughs born 1868 to 1872 would be my ggrandfather. One clue is I'm told he left NS c1887 due to a Halloween prank gone awry resulting in a farmer's death. He came to East Boston for a while, then settled in Pittsfield. Always glad to hear from anyone with Hugh MacDonald ancestors. Thanks. Raymond MacDonald