Nance, I am curious about the following that you wrote: I have also wondered if they were part of the Brethren community at one time and switch to the Lutheran church. Some of the Houck's stayed with the Brethren. Some of Jacob's daughter's families migrated to IL with the group of the Brethrens in 1854-1855. I suspect that my Franklin County ancestors were also at one time affiliated with the Brethren church. They also moved to Illinois in the same period in which your ancestors migrated. For quite a while, I belonged to the Brethren mailing list in hopes of confirming that suspicion. I've not yet found a definite link to the church, despite many items pointing that direction, but perhaps you might be interested in this list that I found to be very helpful: _http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/other/Religion/BRETHREN.html_ (http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/other/Religion/BRETHREN.html) Where in IL did your suspected Brethren's settle? My GIPE family (wife's surname was BARNCORD) settled in Bureau County. The year is not known. However, one child was born in Indiana in April 1855 and the next was born in IL about May 1857 (estimated). It isn't known where they settled in IL since they are missing from the 1860 census. The property in Bureau was purchased in 1861. It is possible that they came over with others and are enumerated with them in 1860 under an incorrect spelling. I enjoy sharing these sorts of migration patterns because I think it gives each of us further clues to explore in our family roots. Shelly