This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Cloer, Fisher, Smith, Hunt, Callahan/Callihan, Pierce/Pearce, Vineyard, Mashburn, Mantooth, & others Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/1UB.2ACE/8553.2 Message Board Post: Carolyn, As we now know, our Cloers are related. However, I don't remember the mention of a spinal problem. This is interesting in that Muscular Scoliosis, Muscular Dystrophy (Friedreich's Ataxia), and Lou Gherig's or ALS all run in the family and all of the ones I know that have been affected have direct relations to the Cloer side of our family. Two having Muscular Scoliosis are still living. We have at least two relatives who have died of ALS or Lou Gherig's; one being a first cousin of mine. And of course FA is in our immediate family and is hereditary if both parents have the recessive gene. You can be carriers for years without knowing it before marrying someone else who has it, and have 50/50 chance of your child getting it. So it may skip generations before reoccurring. This is well worth remembering since many of these are hereditary. At least all of the ones I've mentioned above are. Do you know what particular "spinal problem" he had?