Hello all, I really need some advice. I feel like I am close to giving up on my search. I really want to continue but I am at a loss as to where to find my ancestors. There are 2 people that are so hard to locate! I will state a few basic facts and if anyone can help with suggestions I would really appreciate it. I am trying to find William Gray and wife Ellen. Family history says they immigrated to NY from Ireland. I don't know either of their ages or birthdates, or anything other than their names and their children's info. They had 2 sons, James (b. 1842) and Thomas (b. 1848) in Troy, NY. I have both of their civil war records and learned nothing about the parents. (other than their names from 1 son's marriage and death cert. (maiden name unknown) I can not locate any of the above in the 1840 or 1850 census for Troy or surrounding areas. I have contacted several catholic churches in Troy and no one can find record of them. One church, St. Joseph's still has not written back after 2 letters and 1 phone call (going on 6 to 8 months now). Marriage and death certs give no information. 1 son died in a soldiers home in 1913 and the attending physician who filled out the death cert and he didn't fill out much information and what little he did was incorrect, such as birth place and age. (Could there possibly be another death cert, maybe one the county did?) He didn't die in the county he lived in all of his adult life. (in Illinois) 1 son states in the census' that his parents were born in Ireland. The other son always stated his parents were born in NY. If I were to contact the catholic church in Illinois where he had his children baptised at and also where his funeral was, what records would I ask for that might contain information about HIS parents? Can anyone give me some ideas as what I can do to find William and Ellen? Thanks in advance. Patti