Help!!! I am looking for family information on Valentine BEST. Being the responsible person that I am I got the front page obit for this well-known person (He was the founder and owner of the Danville Intelligencer, and in 1847 elected State Senator for the counties of Columbia, Luzerne and Wyoming. In 1849-50 he was elected Speaker of the Senate.) His death October 28, 1857 was front page news in his own paper as well as the Bloomsburg Democrat. The obit says he was born near Danville on 8th March 1801 but does not name his parents. It states that "he was constantly solicitous for the comfort and welfare of his immediate friends and family. With an ardent love and affection for his children, he was frequently urging upon them some new indulgence." But he doesn't name them either! It does say he was a member of the Presbyterian Church. I would appreciate any information on Valentine or any of the other BEST families in this area in the early 1800s as I am trying to figure out how they tie together and develop the complete family picture for central PA in the early 1800s My ancestor was Michael BEST who was in the 1810 Greenwood Twp. (now Columbia Co.) census, later is mentioned as teaching school between 1816 and 1824 in a school run by Eleanor BEST, who was, I think, someone's widow-don't know who. (Michael's wife was named Anna.) I have the information on John Best b. 1759, Michael's brother, and his son James H. BEST. Thanks for all help