Hello List: I recently subscribed to genealogylibrary.com, and found a book on Mercer County, NJ which mentioned a HARRY VAN KIRK as a son of JOHN S. VAN KIRK (b. April 20, 1838) and SARAH HART. JOHN S. VAN KIRK was a son of COL. FOSTER VAN KIRK (Oct. 24, 1783 - Dec. 3, 1862) and his second wife, PENELOPE STOUT. If ANYONE out there would be interested in helping me, I REALLY need to find out the birth date and place for this Harry Van Kirk. It would probably have been in the late 1870s/early 1880s. My grandfather was named Harry Erwin Van Kirk, and was born around 1880. According to his marriage record and a census record in Braxton County, West Virginia, he had come from Pennsylvania, but was not necessarily born there. I've noticed that many Mercer County, NJ Van Kirks later emigrated to Philadelphia and other areas of Pennsylvania. I have seen reference to only a handful of Harry Van Kirks on the internet, none of which, so far, match up with mine. I thought I would try and see if someone could help me prove/disprove if my Harry Van Kirk was the son of John S. Van Kirk and Sarah Hart before I pay upwards of $650 for a DNA test. I really need a lookup in the Mercer County courthouse for the birth date of this Harry Van Kirk, son of John S. Van Kirk and Sarah Hart. My grandfather came to Braxton County, WV sometime around 1900, where he met and married my grandmother. They had 5 children, namely: James, Opal, Margaret Elizabeth, Madaline Eve, and Woodrow Maxwell Van Kirk. Harry E. Van Kirk died in 1917 at the age of 36 when my father was only 8 months old. For nearly a century, Harry's place of origin and ancestry has been a mystery to my family. It has always been bothersome to my sister, my father, and I that we know not where we came from. I am really hoping that someone on this list might be kind enough to help! Thanks so much!!! Joshua Van Kirk ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com