Linda – Sorry for the delay in reply. Thank you for presenting the avenues that you would use for further research for the James Reed family. It helped to hear how a pro would approach it. To develop the narrative I used census records (both federal and state), glo records, google and ancestry. I also explored collateral lines through James and Margaret’s children, including Joseph, James, Hannah and Mary Elizabeth. The 1925 Iowa census for Hannah Reed Brock yielded Margaret’s maiden name – Fulton. Thus far no signs of obits or wills though I realize they may be out there. <To find out where they lived in Pennsylvania, check the first deed.> The deeds found in Iowa and the possible land records found in Ohio do not have any information about previous residence in PA. I need to continue to identify the precise James Reed family in Ohio in order to determine the county and town. Local histories may yield mention of the family. I tend not to search family trees since they usually are not sourced. However, good to be reminded and search for clues --and then verify. <Naturalization records may have information but at this early date, probably not.> In most census records of Margaret Fulton’s adult children they refer to their mother's birthplace c. 1806 as “ocean”,“at sea” and Ireland. I’ll look for a 1810 census in PA for Fulton that would have a mark for a female under 10 years old, though we only know that Margaret and James were married in PA. It is not known if she lived there with her family prior to her marriage. If she used the Irish naming pattern for her children, her father's name may be Joseph. There is lots of work to do on this line and you provided great suggestions when I was feeling stimied. Now I need to remember to record where I have been in a systematic way. Have people created organizational check lists to save them from themselves? Searches for the name James Reed usually yield too many possibilities. Thanks! -Wendy Wendy Neuman McGuire