Hi Merry! Yes, I think the Willard is a coincidence. I have two Willards in my family.The first is my great-great Uncle Willard Roscoe Whitney (his father was John born 1808) born 1855 in North Yarmouth, Me. died in 1925 in Springfield, Mass. The second is my grandfather John Willard Whitney born 1889 died 1951. Everyone called himWillard, although his first name was John. My line goes as follows: Me, John Carlton, John Willard, John Carlton, John, Samuel, Benjamin, John, Benjamin, John (the immigrant). They all stayed in New England, except for John Carlton's quick trip out to the California gold fields. I have a few letters and cards he wrote while out there. What an adventure that was for a small town New England farm boy! I also have the trunk he took with him, still with the Wells Fargo Stamp! He returned to set up a moving business with his brother Willard. Now ......Zerah.......wasn't he descended from John the immigrant's oldest son John? Keep in touch! thanks, From, Carolyn Whitney Branagan MerryJWhit@aol.com wrote: > Hi Carolyn, > > I don't know if there's a link, but my grandfather's name was Willard > Johnson > Whitney (b. 1876, d. 1954), son of Abraham Johnson Whitney & grandson > of > Zerah (Zerah was also a gg-grandfather to our Allan Green). Ours went > from > Mass to Conn. to NY to Michigan (1836-1838 to Mich.). Do you think the > > Willard (instead of the more usual "William") name is just > coincidental? > > Merry >