For those of you out there that are relatively new to genealogy, like myself, I found the following explantation of "strays" at the Ontario Genealogical Society's web page. I am posting this information to all of the lists which I subscribe to. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE OGS STRAYS PROJECT A Stray is defined as a person who is described in a record of an event as being from, or connected with, a place outside the area in which that event took place. For example, when someone born in one place dies in another and this event is reported in a local newspaper, or his or her birthplace is noted on the tombstone or listed on the death registration, that person has 'strayed' from his or her place of origin. This record becomes useful when it is repatriated to that place of origin. The Ontario Genealogical Society has been collecting strays for some time and regularly exchanges them with other provinces, and countries such as Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand and the United States. Strays are collected to help family historians find missing relations. Over the years, many people lose touch with family members. The object of publishing these volumes is to make available lists of those names that have been collected since the first booklet was issued. http://www.ogs.on.ca/publications/ogspubs.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By the way, I am planning a trip to Toronto, Feb. 11 to Feb. 18, 2003. I welcome any suggestions for cheap accommodations or places to go for researching my Canadian ancestors. I would really like to find BMD records. I have pretty much exhausted my on-line search options, and I have acquired as many census records through LDS, NAC and Ancestry.com as I can. Thanks in advance to all who reply. Best Regards, Robert MacMurray Orlando, Florida, USA DGFHS Member #2995 Researching: BYERS/BYRES/BUYERS, HYSLOP, MCMURRAY OF WIGTONSHIRE, SCOTLAND AMELL, CARNOCHAN, FAIRGRAY, HYSLOP, MCMURRAY, WADLEIGH OF ONTARIO, CANDADA HYSLOP, KERN, MITCHELL, MCGUIRE, MCMURRAY, MCNEILL, ROTH, WADLEIGH OF NEW YORK, USA