Can anyone suggest a way around this problem that has bedevilled a cousin-researcher and myself for years. We have a great-grandfather, James Stenning, who had a father called James Stenning and a grandfather, also called James Stenning - we call them James the First, Second and Third. The oldest James Stenning was baptised in Shermanbury c. 1778/9. The problem is, there were two James Stennings baptised in Shermanbury within 8 months of each other, around that time. One was baptised on 5 July 1778 (parents = William Stenning and Jane Stedman). The other was baptised on 5 March 1779 (parents = James Stenning and Mary Glazebrook). And there is no way of determining (from later life events) which 'Sweet Baby James' was actually our ancestor. 'Our' James became an Ag Lab and went on to marry Sarah Bacon in Ashurst on 27 Oct 1801, but there is no clue to his parentage there. He had three children and was widowed early. In 1851 and 1861 he was living in Bolney, Sussex (as 'widowed father') with his son James and family. He died of influenza on 2 May 1864 and was buried at Twineham on 7 May 1864. But who were his Mum and Dad? One stroke of luck - the two James Stennings born in Shermanbury in 1778/9 shared one set of grandparents at least, because their fathers (William and James) were brothers - both were sons of William Stenning who died in Cowfold in 1788. So we have some hope of tracing that line further back. But I am also interested in maternal lines so I would like to know EXACTLY which James is our ancestor. Does anyone have any ideas on how to ascertain which James is ours, or will we just have to accept this as an eternal brick wall? Cordelia Hull 14526