I know that an ancestor of mine from NC went to Philadelphia PA to be trained as a silversmith/clockmaker around 1830-1832. He would probably not have been apprenticed as a poor boy would have been since his family had resources. I think he still might have been subject to a voluntary apprentice bond for this training. Does anyone know what apprenticeship masters would have been available in Philadelpha in this period. I am sure there are many silversmith/clockmakers in Philadelphia in this period and I don't know where to start. I have two books on the subject and neither addresses the issue of the training in this craft, except for poor boys apprenticed to masters by the courts. Betty Pace ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.