Hi Kathy,    I think that is wonderful that you have proven your lineage. In reference to Craig , no he isn't kidding and neither am I.  I once sent him a report off list on another line from my Family Tree Maker. That is exactly what he  wants. If he is a professional genealogist go to the courthouses and get the legal records like I did and prove it. Otherwise, I wouldn't hire him in a New York minute.   LOL !   Best Wishes, Mariianne Dillow     -- On Tue, 1/6/09, rebeltrumpet@sbcglobal.net <rebeltrumpet@sbcglobal.net> wrote: From: rebeltrumpet@sbcglobal.net <rebeltrumpet@sbcglobal.net> Subject: Re: [VACULPEP] It's all relative To: vaculpep@rootsweb.com, mdillow31@verizon.net Date: Tuesday, January 6, 2009, 10:07 AM I am guessing that Craig is teasing....surely?? If not, as an example of my lines, they are all in New England and they kept excellent records in New England from the day the Mayflower landed to me. I have 17 proven lines of descent from the Mayflower. I had to prove WITH DOCUMENTATION all of these lines, and they were approved by the Mayflower Society. On another of my proven lines going back to 1600s there are several books such as "Ancestral Roots", and "The Magna Charta Sureties 1215", and "Charlemagnes Descendants" that are used. I found that ancestor in one of the books, and from there the lines connect further and further back. In those books, the best and most professional genealogists and researchers in the world put together the proven lineages using all of the old records of England, France, and many countries. I would venture to guess that most of us have at least one or two lines in those books. The hard part sometimes is getting that far back (about 1600s). I have worked on my husbands lines which are all southern. Unfortunately I can't get any further back than about 1795 on most of his. I know it is frustrating, but you can't say that others lines are not true simply because you can not find one yet. Just keep digging and maybe a line will open up for you also. Kathy.