Hi Cheri, One method I used - and yes, it is extremely tedious but it does pay off - is to check the census for that surname in the suspected county to find your ancestor as a child. I didn't know his father's name so I checked each and every listing of that surname until I found him as a child. I then worked that family forward in time to make sure the child lived. It's worked twice for me. And yes, my surnames are common ones. It does take time but ... it also allowed me to find out how he met his future wife. She lived 4 dwellings (farms, in this case) away from him for a period of time. In your case, I'd check the 1850, 1860 and 1870 censuses for all Wilson households in both Shelby Co., IN looking for Asa as a newborn, an 11-year-old and a 21-year-old. I'd try Shelby Co. first. Back then, they tended to marry close to home. But if you don't find him in Shelby, try Marion Co. as it's a neighboring county. He might have been from there. I'm doing the same thing right now trying to find a 3x greatgrandfather. I know his last name but not his first. I know his wife's name and their children so I have to search every census entry to find his family in order to get his name. No luck so far but they're there. Somewhere. Good luck! Cindy in cool but sunny Southern California >-----Original Message----- >From: Aadcmom@aol.com [mailto:Aadcmom@aol.com] >Sent: November 04, 2000 8:01 PM >To: NEWGEN-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: [NEWGEN] Most Wanted > > >Yes I have given up on my most wanted!! Can't get anywhere with them. >GGrandfather Asa B. WILSON born 1849 in Indiana and died Jan 23, 1920 >Indianapolis Indiana. I have tried all that I know to find his parents and >siblings. He married Mahulda Coffey in 1872 Shelby Co. Indiana. They >lived there until 1889 moving to Marion Co. Indianapolis. >