All, Thanks for your input and experience with Ancestry...I have had this trouble over a six-month period so don't think it's a recent problem - just don't know if the mail connects back to those who send it. Has anyone sent a message through it and not received an answer? The thing is we're relying on some internal address at Ancestry instead of the person's real address so it's impossible to check back with the individual who sent it except through Ancestry. Oh, well, I'll try again with the people who sent me a message and see if it works any better now - it's discouraging because our best resources are people who are researching the same families. Thanks again! Marilee