Hello, This past June I travelled to Londonderry and Belfast accompanied by my research parter, John Giacoletti, former Curator of Rare Books at the University of North Carolina, and we experienced three action packed weeks in various libraries and research facilities and pubs. This was my 20th trip to Ireland, but the first for genealogical research. We are both skilled researchers and we were prepared. We were also LUCKY. If you would like to read about our genealogical findings just go to the main rootsweb.com page and look for the link to "threaded archives" Type in COWAN and search June and July 2002 and see what you think. It took me almost seven years of intense research to prove what I set out to prove and along the way I stumbled across a few research tools that I have shared with people before and will do again now. They are rare, out of print books and manuscripts which I doubt most people have ever seen. One of the items is found in only six Universities in America and a couple of them are not found here at all. They are as follows: The Laggan and its Presbyterianism and In the Days of the Laggan Presbytery, 1905,1908, by the Rev. Alexander Lecky, B.A., member of the Royal Sociey of Antiquaries of Ireland, Belfast, Davidson & McCormack, 54 Kings St. 211 pages On our recent trip to Donegal we met J.B. Shannon, age 90, who assisted in the 1975 reprinting of this book. He is the last living person who had anything to do with these books and he says they are still the BEST source for Ulster Presbyterian research. From Lecky I quote, "The lists of names of former generations of Lagganeers, and their places of abode, that are given in the Appendixes, and which NEVER before appeared in print, whilst they may of necessity prove dull reading to those who have no acquaintance with the locality, will not, I hope, be altogether uninteresting to those who bear the same name, or live in the same places..." Fighters of Derry, Their Deeds and Descendants, being a Chronicle of Events in Ireland during the Revolutionary period 1688-1691, by William Young, Eyre and Spottiswoode, London, 350 pages. One of the most difficult sources to locate, in fact almost impossible. Months worth of reading and packed with great genealogy. Contains the following biographical sketches: 1. The leaders of the County Associations who, with their levies, took part in the preliminary operations and contributed much of the man power for the Defence. 2. The Apprentice Boys and those responsible for shutting the gates on the 8th Dec. 1688. 3. The actual Defenders during the 105 day siege (over 1200 genealogical sketches) 4. Those engaged in the relief of the city A History of the Siege of Londonderry and Defense of Enniskillen in 1688 and 1689, with Historical Poetry and Biographical notes, by the Rev. John Graham, M.A. Rector of Magilligan in the Diocese of Derry. Includes the Battles of the Boyne, Athlone, and Aughrim and the siege and Capitulation of Limmerick by Lord McCaulay, Toronto, 1869 The historical poems are family genealogies about those who were at Derry and where they came from. Along with "Fighters of Derry" these two sources contain more actual genealogical information than any others I have seen. Three Hundred Years in Innishowen, Being More Particularly an Account of the Family of Young of Culdaff with Short Accounts of Many Other Families Connected with Them, by Amy Young, 1929, The Linenhall Press, Belfast, 311 pages. Some of the names included are Young, Hart, Harvey, Cary, Vaughan, McLaughlin, Skipton, Richardson, Knox, Ussher, Smith, Nesbitt, Chichester, Ball, Lawrence, Crofton, Boyd, Stuart and many others. The Laggan and its People, by S.M. Campbell, privately printed. A look at the history of the Laggan (Presbyterian Derry/Donegal) through the eyes of a local historian. Draws on local lore, Abercorn papers, records from PRONI. The Tinkling Spring: Headwater of Freedom, A Study of the Church and Her People, 1732-1952, by Howard McKnight Wilson, 1954, Fisherville, Virginia 542 pages The best source of information on the Scotch-Irish of Augusta/Rockbridge Counties in Virginia. Includes the Baptismal Records of the Rev. Craig. In-depth study of the early families of the Shenandoah Valley. Castle's Woods: Frontier Virginia Settlement, 1769-1799, a thesis presented to the Faculty of the Department of History, East Tennessee State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of master of Arts, by James W. Hagy, 1966, 150 pages. The most popular of the documents offered, this covers the families who settled in Russell county, Virginia when it was considered the frontier. If your ancestors came through southwestern Virginia, this document is the history of your family. Contains information on specific families as well as the farmers, speculators, artisans, and preachers who resided there. Lots on the Indian battles that were a daily feature of life on the frontier. Names like Russell, Walker, Porter, Cowan, Houston, Boone, Montgomery, Fraley, Thompson, Anderson, Kilgore, and 50 or so other "Scotch-Irish" families make this an invaluable resource for your family history. The Reverend Samuel Houston, V.D.M., by George West Diehl, 1970, McClure Publishing Co. 125 pages History of the early Virginia Presbyterians through the life of the Rev. Samuel Houston, kin to Sam Houston of Texas fame. Well there you have it. The best documents I have found. If you are interested in purchasing any of the above items (I would like to make copies for free but I can't) contact me at [email protected] for details. Regards, Robert Cowan 525 Harrogate Rd. Matthews, North Carolina 28105