Hello Everyone, I am now posting my first messagr onto rootsweb. I will try to give you some facts, as I know them, about my family that I hope will be benificial to you in your helping me to answer the many questions which I have about my ancestors. Maybe some of this information will be of interest and/or help to some of you also. I hope so. Let us begin: My Grandfather's name was Lorenzo Isaac Rich, he was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on 07 August, 1870. He married Emma Christina Wassmer on 17 February, 1897. He died on 16 April, 1956. Emma Christina (Wassmer) Rich was born in Germany (Mannheim, I beleive) on 01 June, 1877. My grandparents had seven children. All born in the Salt Lake City area, some are still living. My great grandfather, Lorenzo's father, was Charles Rich, (I have seen his middle initial listed as C., however I am not certain). Charles was born in the village of Rackwick, on the Isle of Hoy, in the Orkney Islands of Scotland. He was born on 18 June, 1833. (More about Charles later). Charles married Isabell Burt on 12 August, 1865. Charles died on 16 March, 1914, in Salt Lake City. Charles and Isabell had nine children, of which, my grandfather was the fourth. They also raised another girl, as their own. Isabell (Burt) Rich was born 28 June, 1841, in Rumford, Muiravonside, Sterling, Scotland. She died on 22 August, 1926. She was the daughter of John Burt, Sr. and Margaret Burt. Both of Isabell's parents were born in Scotland, he was born in Dunfermline, Fifeshire on 12 August, 1816 and she was born in Baldridge, Dunfermline, Fifeshire, on 30 May, 1814. This couple emigrated to Salt Lake City, Utah between the years of 1859 and 1864. This Burt couple had 14 children, Isabell was the fifth. Charles Rich was the son of Thomas Rich and Barbara Thomsen. Thomas Rich was born in Rackwick, Hoy, Orkney Islands also. He was born on 27 February, 1793. And he died at Hoy and Graemsay in 1873. He was the son of Hugh Rich and Sibella (Thomson) Rich. On 18 January, 1820 Thomas married Barbara Thomsen. Barbara was the daughter of Thomas Rich and Janet Irvine. Here I am confused; I don't really understand the relationship, here. I suppose that Barbara (Thomsen) Rich's father could have been from a completely different line named Rich or she may have been a daughter by a former marriage of Janet Irvines or adopted into the household of Hugh and Sibella Rich. Hugh Rich and Sibella (Thomson) Rich were the parents of Thomas Rich. Hugh was born in about 1759 in Rackwick and Sibella was born in Stromness on 03 May, 1763. This is as far back as I go on the Rich side, hopefully someone out there will have enough information that we can figure this thing out. And, better still, maybe some one out there will have information on my ancestors from 1679, the year that my forefathers first arrived in the Orkney Islands up until, well possibly, the present. Now for that additional information about Charles Rich: Charles Rich, as a young man worked aboard whaling vessels and in later he began working aboard a freighter vessel which sailed between Port Elizabeth, South Africa and ports in China. He and two of his shipmates, while on these voyages, were converted to Mormonism and then while in port in South Africa, they met some Mormon missionaries and were baptised as members into the Mormon Church. The three of these young men worked at various jobs and saved their money until they had enough for passage to the United States and the jouirney to Salt Lake City, Utah. Charles Rich arrived in America at a port in Boston, Massachusetts in May of 1860 and then he (and his two ship mates, I suppose) made the treck from Boston to Salt Lake City in a covered wagon pulled by a team consisting of an Ox and a Horse. He arrived at his destination, Salt Lake City on 06 October, 1862. Please answer this plea, I will appreciate all of the help that I can get. Respectfully submitted Mel Rich E-mail: MRich10000@AOL.com