This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: brendahare Surnames: WORDEN / WHITING Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.allegany/9858.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Sara, I'm a Registrar for DAR. I don't know where you live, but hopefully you are working with a Registrar, and she is helping you with your application and documentation. Obviously, records don't exist for all locations and all time periods, like we wish they did. This is one of those cases. Do you descend from your Patriot through Margaret Borthwick or her husband, James Willison? If your Patriot is behind James Wilson, the problem is not as critical. If your Patriot is behind Margaret (Borthwick) Willison, then the issue is more of an issue, but still not a show stopper. If you know who Margaret Borthwick's parents were, you might look for her father's will, naming a daughter Margaret Willison. If her mother was still alive when her father deceased, you could have someone look for a probate record for her mother, again naming a daughter Margaret Borthwick. DAR will accept wills and probate records that name children as documentation of the line. You already have the marriage date -- where did you get the marriage date? Is it possible that the marriage announcement was published in a newspaper? I have a girlfriend who lives in that area. She could look for a newspaper and probate records for you. Let me know privately if you are interested. Again, if the Patriot is behind James WIllison and not an ancestor of Margaret Borthwick, you really don't need to prove a marriage date, or I should say it's not that critical. Obviously, National DAR likes to have as much documented information as possible, but sometimes it's just not possible. Brenda Hare Cedar Rapids, Iowa Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.