Kathy, re:""Hamsted" was most likely the town of Hempstead, which you will find on a map of present day Nassau County. However at that time - Hempstead waspart of Queens County....." I agree. I think Hamstead is most likely Hempstead, or at least I haven't found a good alternative yet. The original reference came from a 1920's genealogical column in the Boston evening transcript. The column also stated that Michael Cooper's wife, Elizabeth Straut (or S. Traut) was born near New Amsterdam in 1786. An idea on the location of that one? Thanks too for the Nassau URL's. The information is very interesting. Beverly Fearn Porter, Columbia, Maryland.