This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Straub, Stroup Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/0IQBAEB/6.13.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Well, John is always a tough one because it must be THE most common German first name, and there were many STRAUB immigrants to PA, so you can never assume any STRAUB/STROUB/STROUP is related. I have a large STRAUB/etc. database: http://dgmweb.net/genealogy/6/Straub/EveryNameIndex-Straub-JtoZ.htm but I don't seem to have your John. Do you have his 1850 census record? That would be the first record I would seek out. I have what I think are all STRAUBs in the PA census on my web site: http://dgmweb.net/genealogy/6/PA/PACensusStraub/1850.htm but there is no John who is obviously yours. Can you spot him there? Depending on whether he married before or after the census, he should show up as a newlywed or as still living with his parents. The latter would be ideal because then you'd have his parents identified.