I noted with interest the recent posts from Bob Bensing, Donna Ristenbatt and some others regarding a possible EARLY link between the Lebanon LIGHTs and the KREIDERS. I've also had some correspondence with John Light of Monterey, CA on the same subject. If my understanding is correct, this John Light is a descendant of John LIGHT of Lebanon, who arrived at the port of Philadelphia on 5 Sep 1738 aboard the Winter Galley. This John LIGHT, and his descendants, are the subjects of an exhaustive study carried on by the Rev. R. G. Francis (1870-1958), a Lebanon genealogist with a reputation for talent and experience, mostly between the years 1929 through 1932. The results of this study were published posthumously through the good offices of Searchlight Editor Betty M. Light Behr by the Closson Press in April 1990 under the title "History and Genealogy of Early Pioneer Families of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania". This, I am persuaded, is, without serious question, the seminal study of this family and its history. Rev. Francis, early on in his introductory discussion (p. 8) has this to say concerning the spouse of John LIGHT of Lebanon: "As to his wife, we know not her Christian name. nor her family name. Their son Jacob states that his mother died Nov. 12, 1758. She was doubtless considerably younger than her husband, for she bore a son as late as 1738. Perhaps the daughter Barbara was still younger, certainly so if she married Casper Shirk, for Casper's wife Barbara was born May 13, 1739." John LIGHT must have contracted his marriage in Europe well before his 1738 journey to the Colonies. In fact, his eldest child, son John, is recorded as having been born 21 Feb 1726 (p. 13). If his wife was named KREIDER (Maria or otherwise), it seems unlikely that she is of either of the KREIDER families sojourning in Ittlingen, as discussed in the PMH articles of John Marsh and Jane Best, because (1) neither family is recorded as having a daughter named Maria, and (2) neither family is recorded as having a daughter of the requisite age to have been capable of bearing a child in 1726 (none, that is, who is not otherwise accounted for). Of course, there were lots of KREIDERs in that part of Europe at that time, many of them doubtless female and available for marriage. And there is no showing that John LIGHT the Immigrant had any connection with Ittlingen. Nevertheless, it does put in question whether, if John LIGHT's wife was a KREIDER, she was directly connected with the Ittlingen KREIDERs, who were the progenitors of the Lebanon KREIDERs. Now to the question of "family tradition" raised by John Light of Monteray. I am also a descendant of John LIGHT the Immigrant. I have devoted considerable time to the study of the family literature (admittedly, most of it secondary), and I must say that I have never heard or read of such a "tradition." I have it from a respected source that one of the purveyors of this information is a gentleman named Roger Cramer (with whom I am not acquainted). I have it further from this source that Mr. Cramer has not offered to furnish a source for this information, having been requested to do so. There is this to be said, however: I understand from my source that Mr Cramer states the spouse of Maria KREIDER is named John (Johannes) Peter LIGHT. Again referring To Rev. Francis' work, he tells us that there were a number of John LIGHTs (with variant surname spellings) who arrived at Philadelphia at about the same time as our John LIGHT; that among these were Johan Peter LIGHT, who arrived on 30 Aug 1737 aboard the Samuel, and Peter LIGHT, who arrived on 27 Oct 1733 aboard the Saint Andrew. Of these and other LIGHT immigrants, Rev. Francis has this to say (p. 2): "We do not attempt to determine where the Light immigrants, afore, settled. That is beyond our sphere. As to the settlers we simply let it be known, from the records found, that they had settled; there is no intention to give history beyond the record quoted, unless those under consideration were connected vitally with our Lights of Lebanon county." Not to put words in the Reverend's mouth, he seems quite clearly to be telling us that his work is devoted solely to the John [Johannes] LIGHT who arrived in Philadelphia on 5 Sep 1738 aboard the Winter Galley, and to his progeny. And when the Reverend tells us that the name of this John LIGHT's wife is not known, it's going to take a powerful lot to convince me otherwise, family tradition or no. Grant Miller max@cftnet.com