Hi Ray, What time period are you talking about. The Thomson connection that I have is Isabella Thomson, b 1823. in Caithness, Wick, the daughter of John Thomson and Elizabeth Henderson who married Benjamin Smith, 21 March 1850 in Hurliness and died on 16 December 1896 in Walls. As far as I can ascertain all connections are from Hoy or Orphir in Walls and Flotta and from Caithness on the tip of the mainland. Re Shearer - I have a William Shearer who married Elizabeth (Betsy) Smith on 10 January 1843. Betsy was the sister of my g-g-g-grandfather. Please let me know if there is any connection. Regards, Jan Canberra, Australia -----Original Message----- From: MR RAY S WALLACE <LYXR92A@prodigy.com> To: ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com <ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Sunday, 28 March 1999 11:11 PM Subject: [ORKNEY-L] ORKNEY-D Digest V99 #72 >I saw the names Shearer and Thomson in a note from Jan Grant. I have >been looking into my Orney roots and would be interested in any info >about these families. My Great-Great-Grandparents were James Thomson >and Margeret Shearer. The Thomsons' son James eventually moved to the >US where my Grandfather was born (Ray Sinclair Thompson). Any info >would be helpful, thank you! > >