Hi Susan, Yes, I do have that letter. (it's in this disaster area somewhere) I was reading it again yesterday. I sent a copy to Margaret Zahalka, who would be William Pottinger's grand-daughter. She is part of the Pottingers that went to Racine, WI She said there was a blacksmith living in Racine by the name of Robert Pottinger. She is unsure of Robert's father's name. She gave me the address of Robert's granddaughter, but she didn't think we were related to Robert. Thomas and Jane had to have come to the US before July 4, 1874 (their oldest daughter Isabelle was born in Lycippus, Pa) My family is connected to Racine, WI through Jane's younger sister Georgina Miller Her husband John Allen came from Westray to Racine. She married him there and they ran a boarding house for young men who came over from the islands. When William and Jane died Georgina took in their two youngest daughters who were abandoned by the older sister. That's how part of the Pottingers got to Racine. I was also able to get a hold of some census records for 1851 in Westray and I think they may be my Pottingers. Here they are. Let me know if you thein they might be connect to yours too. Trilot (name of the farm) William Pottenger 38 Margaret Pottenger 36 Mary 12 George 10 Jean 8 William 2 I also tried to get William's death certificate, but have come up empty on two places where he may have been at the time of his death. I'm begining to think I have the wrong dates. Some of the other information I got from the family Bible was unreliable too. Thanks for your reply, Teresa -----Original Message----- From: Susan Gibb <sgibb@wpcusrgrp.org> To: ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com <ORKNEY-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Thursday, December 17, 1998 8:57 AM Subject: Re: [ORKNEY-L] POTTINGER, POTTINGAR, POTTENGER >On Fri, 11 Dec 1998 09:59:57 -0500, you wrote: > >>Hi Everyone, >> >>I am new to this mailing list. I am searching for any information on the >>Pottinger (or the various spellings) family from Westray, Orkney islands. >>My great-great grandfather William Pottinger (b. May 07, 1854) and his >>brother Thomas (b. about 1850) came from Westray to Pennsylvania. William >>was married to Jane MILLER (daughter of George MILLER and Elizabeth CORSE >>also born on Westray) I am unable to locate their parents. I think that >>there is also a brother named James who may have ended up in Racine WI. Any >>Pottinger information will be greatly appreciated, even if it may not >>connect with these two brothers. >> >>Thank you, >> >>Teresa Pottinger Geiger > > >Hi Teresa, I think we have communicated before. > >I am curious-do you have any idea when William Pottinger and his >brother Thomas came over to the States from the Orkneys? I think I >sent you a portion of a letter written in 1909 by a James Pottinger of >Westray indicating one son James had gone to Racine and one of his >other sons William was still in the Orkneys at the time, living on >Sanday. >