My great, great-grandfather was Martin BURST of Plymouth, Luzerne, PA. He is buried in a GAR location in that area. Oddly, what looked to be an unrelated BURST is buried with him. Jacob BURST. Now Jacob appears to have been born around 1840 or 1841. Voila! After a few years of seeking, I seem to have stumbled upon the possible place of origin for Jacob. In the LDS Online Transcribed Census, it is revealed: Jacob BERST Self M Male W 40 PA Gardner PA PA Mary BERST Wife M Female W 41 PA Keeping House PA PA Rosa M. BERST Dau S Female W 11 PA At School PA PA Anna E. BERST Dau S Female W 9 PA At School PA PA Edwin L. BERST Son S Male W 6 PA PA PA Maud I. BERST Dau S Female W 1 PA PA PA 5th Ward, House for the Friendless, Erie, Erie, PA 1255128 T9-1128 354B Ah! But not merely that. Also: John BERST Self M Male W 36 PA Gardner PA PA Sarah BERST Wife M Female W 32 PA Keeping House PA PA Mabel BERST Dau S Female W 6 PA PA PA Fredrick BERST Son S Male W 4 PA PA PA BERST Dau S Female W 1M PA PA PA 6th Ward, Erie, Erie, PA 1255128 T9-1128 367C Hiram BERST Self M Male W 38 PA Gardner PA PA Mary E. BERST Wife M Female W 33 PA Keeping House ENGL NY Hattie E. BERST Dau S Female W 11 PA At School PA PA Jessie M. BERST Dau S Female W 10 PA At School PA PA William L. BERST Son S Male W 3 PA PA PA Marian BERST Dau S Female W 7M PA PA PA 6th Ward, Erie, Erie, PA 1255128 T9-1128 367C John BERST Self M Male W 71 PA MANHEIM PA Elizabeth BERST Wife M Female W 65 PA Keeping House PA PA Henry BERST Son S Male W 43 PA Farmer PA PA Titus BERST Son M Male W 33 PA Florist PA PA Mary BERST DauL M Female W 25 PA At Home PA PA Charles BERST GSon S Male W 2 PA PA PA 6th Ward, Erie, Erie, PA 1255128 T9-1128 369C Clearly this is not any unknown name in Erie! Here, then, is 1880 for my own Martin in Luzerne. Can you folks relate to this fellow and his family? Martin BURST Self M Male W 41 CAN Laborer CAN CAN Catharine BURST Wife M Female W 48 IRE Housekeeper IRE IRE Katie BURST Dau S Female W 16 PA CAN IRE James FINIGAN SSon S Male W 20 PA Laborer In Mine CAN IRE Catharine was a LARGE who had married a FINNEGAN. She had a son and was considerably older than Martin. Martin had a severe leg wound in the Civil War. If you can help me with the BERST/BURST name, I would much appreciate it... Vince Summers