Joy Brass wrote: > Am new to this so don't even know what OHFS is! We are looking for > William Brass information in Sandwick--mid 1800's. Sons named William > and Edward went to Pittsburgh. A sister, Mary Brass, lived on the old > farm. Thanks in advance for any help you can give. Joy, OFHS is the Orkney Family History Society. You'll find their website at http://www.orkneyfhs.co.uk/ Another useful website is http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~relys4u/R4U_Update/Orkney/ which is an index of the 1841 census for Orkney. Select the parish you want, in your case Sandwick, and you'll find several Brass surnames there. There are two Mary Brass. Take your pick! Sadly there are a huge amount of transcription and typing errors. All registers for Scotland since 1855 and the censuses for 1871, 1881, 1891 and 1901 are viewable on-line at a price at http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk Good luck with your research -- Mike Clouston

Thank you so very much, Mike. I was going to write you yesterday to say how much we liked your web site. I read every bit of it and am so very sorry that I could never get my 98 year old mother to write down her history. I am trying hard to pick her brain. She is of Scottish descent and was born in Cape Breton, NS--but that is my side of the family, not Tom's. She was a Johnston and a Munroe. We have been to Orkney and had the old farm pointed out to us. It is near Scara Brae, not Scapa Flow. I made a mistake before, quoting an aunt of my husband's. Your family looks lovely and your web site is so well designed. I am in awe! You are very kind to help us and everyone else!