Shedevilady@aol.com wrote: Hi List:        I am new to this list and I thought I would post my interest. I am researching Williams from Bristol, England. I have a Nathaniel Williams that married a Louisa Sage in 1854. He is a Shop Keeper, Ships Captain and ship owner. I have him with only one son at this time, Charles Edwin James that married an Alice Jane Fearnley in 1881, in Bristol. I have Charles with daughter Louisa that married Charles William Down in 1903 in Bristol. Would love to hear from anyone researching this family or that might have any information on them. Bev. in Canada Response to Bev in Canada, Dear Bev: What you really need is a guide to doing research in Britain--not the US. Have you studied the guide the Latter Day Saints put out about doing English research? It is online at <A HREF="www.familysearch.org">www.familysearch.org</A> The links are generally on the opening page. And there are lots of other goodies, including the catalog for the giant library at Salt Lake City (on the lower right). Were I you, I would study the research outline for England, which is online. BUT if your Williamses came directly to Canada and not to the US, then you want to begin with Canadian research, probably starting with Canadian censuses, then any land records, any naturalizations, and ship passenger lists. I have not done Canadian research, so you are on your own. I do know, however, that most of the censuses of the US, of Canada (those which have been released) and of United Kingdom are on film and can be borrowed from the Fam History Library in Salt Lake City through your local LDS center. There must be a few in Canada. If not, you may have to travel to an adjoining US county--or save your pennies and go to Salt Lake City, which has a whole floor devoted to British records--films, fiche (many of the censuses are on fiche), maps, reference books, microfilm readers, copiers, and, best of all, experts at the reference desk. They are the ones who frequently compile the Research guides for all the US states, for England, for Scotland, for Ireland (tough to search), for all the Northern European countries, and for many other countries around the world. By the way, the 1881 British census is online at the above URL. Again, go to the URL I have cited for you. Explore every link--you will find forms, etc. Also, when you have done your Canadian research (or US, if that is the case), then get acquainted with the British records. If your man was a sea captain and particularly a ship owner, there are bound to be records on him at the Public Record Office in Richmond (near Kew Gardens) to the west of London. But start with what you know, and move backwards in time--very slowly--particularly with a name like Williams!!! Best of luck to you. E.W.Wallace who is 1/4 British, 1/4 German, 1/2 an American mixture