This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: modew Surnames: Goddard Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.maryland.counties.stmarys/4410.1.1.2.1.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: First of all, I want to thank everyone for all your help. I'm thrilled to have received so many responses to my questions. Amazing detective work! I'm really grateful for the information on Porto Bello. I had previously tried so many different spellings and could not find any information. I'm glad to know that such a place actually exists and that I can probably assume that it is the place my great grandmother said she was born. I'm not sure I understand the idea of a manor. Did more than one family live there? I think Catherine/Kate Goddard is a possibility. Her age and the fact that her father's name is Benjamin Goddard would make it seem very likely. The only thing that bothers me with the Benjamin Goddard connection is that my mom says Alice Goddard (her grandmother) had a step-father. I'm thinking that if Benjamin Goddard was still alive, but Mary E. Stone had died then there is no possibility of there being a step-father. I wonder if my mom is confused and ! it was actually a step-mother. Does anyone know if birth records are available for St. Mary's county in 1860? I'm thinking there were probably very few baby girls born in December 1860 at Porto Bello and I should be able to verify my great-grandmother's name and parents. Again, thank you all for the incredible amount of information you've given me. Maureen Smith-Garden City, Michigan Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.