Fran, I can trace my mother's and my father's family back to JOSEPH LOOMIS 1590-1658 a woolen-draper of Braintree, County Essex, England. One of JOSEPH LOOMIS's sons JOSEPH LOOMIS is my 9th grandfather on my father's side and JOHN LOOMIS his brother is my 11th grandfather on my mother's side. My parents met during W.W.II in 1942 in California. My mother's family was in California from Ripley, Chautuaqua County, New York where the LOOMIS family was plentiful. My father's family was from a farm in Illinois, after many years of research after finding my mother's LOOMIS connection I found that my Dad's family went back to Bradford County, PA where Daniel LOOMIS was an early well known pioneer in the 1700s which led me to a book I had owned for years which listed all I ever needed to know from that point on. I was amazed at my findings, all proven with all the documentation. Hope this helps answer your question. Chocy