Jan: I appreciate your message. Yes, James Wells b: 13 Mar 1792 is my direct, maternal, brick wall ancestor. Yes, I have posted queries on both Windsor and Rutland but have not had any luck. Yes, I did follow up the James Wells 2nd Lieu and in fact it is used as proof for James' granddaughter to enter the National Society of the Daughters of the War of 1812. Looking at the papers and other documentation, there is another James Wells, born in 1792, who married in NH and ultimately moved to and died in another county of Ohio is also associated with this. He was a son of a hatter in ... I think Rockingham. I have looked at all the original documents via microfilm (that I was able to read because of them being so dark) that there is NOTHING which tells me if he was my ancestor or this other man who is also associated with it. I have been unable to find James, Persis or any of the children from the date of marriage in Dec 1810 in Windsor Co., VT to their first census in 1840 in Erie Co/Huron Co., Ohio. All the children's birth dates/locations I have are from either census, marriage or death documents. The children were born in VT and NY. The application I referred to above stated they were married in Albany, NY so I was surprised to find the marriage in VT (I was looking for birth records and stumbled across the marriage in the VT Vital Records microfilm .. They are cards of vital records .. I contacted VT records and there was no additional information). I have looked at any book, records I could find for Albany and Albany Co., NY but have found nothing regarding the birth of any of the children. I do believe that James deserted Persis on the 1860 census, just 5 years before her death, she is living with her daughter and son-in-law, Erastus IVORY in Norwalk, Huron Co., Ohio and she is recorded as a "widow". However, James did not die until the summer of 1870 according to the cemetery stone that is next to Persis in the cemetery in Norwalk. Obviously, some of the children must have known where he was or he came back after she died. The probate (intestate)records stated he had no assets. I have NEVER found anything that tells me anything about any brothers/sisters or any reference to his parents or where he grew up. I did find a baptism record for a James Welles in Ryarsh, England on 13 Mar 1792 to a Nathaniel Welles, but I could find no records what happened to him, no immigration records in USA or Canada so I can only believe they are not the same person ... But, only James knows for sure. I wonder if I could 'summon' him??? ... :o) Thank you again for thinking of me when you transcribed the information. Bonita Phoenix, AZ