DianeL...........cuz..........on the ship list for the huge Mostek clan, the ages were off for almost all of them but only a year or so. However, I think the Matthias Brick (Bryg) clan also had some discrepancies. I always wondered what effect the change in calendars had. I know the Gregorian was adopted about the 1500's, but read in part this comment. So, they may have not always known their ages for sure, or the priest may have put the wrong date. (Remember that our great gram and great great grams got mixed up) Even on our census records there are mistakes. "Because of the Protestant Reformation, however, many Western European countries did not initially follow the Gregorian reform, and maintained their old-style systems. Eventually other countries followed the reform for the sake of consistency, but by the time the last adherents of the Julian calendar in Eastern Europe (Russia and Greece) changed to the Gregorian system in the 20th century, they had to drop 13 days from their calendars, due to the additional accumulated difference between the two calendars since 1582." I also found this: " Except in places where immigration was restricted—like the Russian Empire—it was fairly easy to travel from an obscure European village to the United States by the late 19th century. A potential immigrant contracted with a shipping company agent, often a local cleric or teacher, who informed the head office at the departure port. The agent then received a departure date and ticket voucher, which he passed along to the immigrant, who boarded a train for the port city. If the port of embarkation was Bremen, immigrants could almost step directly from the train onto their ship—the city had railroad track leading right onto the docks." So,maybe when our families came, they took their word for it. (and Diane, your sweet mommy wouldn't have done such a thing.) :) KathyB ____________________________________________________________ We Will Buy Your Credit Card Debt Revolutionary New Program- Reduce Debt By 55% Guaranteed. Read More... http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4d7eb5bccd2a5163c5dst05duc