Does anyone have any suggestions for me for further pursuit of my errant WOLFORD family? Unpublished, unfilmed Church records, for example? I've tried asking via USGenweb site, through the Wolford surname list, and through this list, as well as looking through various microfilmed LDS records. I would dearly love to find a record of my gr-grandfather's birth. He was Calvin WOLFORD, born, according the family, in Oct, 1858, in Dry Fork. I realize it's possible that his birth was never recorded anywhere, but I'm hoping there are some untapped (by me) resources I could pursue. I'm even open to (gasp), writing a letter, finding an envelope and a stamp, and mailing a request! (How desperate can one get??) I'm even more curious about his father. Calvin's marriage application gives the man's name as John. John was not with the family in the 1860 census (Cadiz, Harrison Co, OH). Family lore is that John died/decamped by then. No one knows what happened to him. Would there be a source to find death records? Was there a newspaper which might have reported a sensational death between 1858 and 1860? A non-sensational death? (Not nearly as much fun!) There seem to be some real knowledgeable researchers on this list. I appreciate any help/pointers you could give me. Dawn Amos

Loved your post - Makes me feel "less alone" in finding an ancestor "lost in Randolph County"!!! I am not from the area, so I don't even know where Dry Fork is, but have you checked to see if there was a church in Dry Fork? Where would people have gone to church? Have you checked for a church in Ohio, where his father John reportedly died/whatever? Could be he was baptised or confirmed in Ohio. What church affilliation does the family now have? That would narrow down the search if you knew they were "long-time Lutherans", for instance. Did you search for John Wolford - as a child on the 1850 census of Randolph COunty? How fortuneate the information you mention was on a marriage license application - I hae spent years on a wild goose chase for information given on a death certificate in Randolph COunty. Te informant was a child - but so far, nothing checks out!!! Good luck on your research! Let's hope you don't have to "write a letter" - in this day of internet research - Heaven forbid!!! Bonnie You say: ...I would dearly love to find a record of my gr-grandfather's birth. He was Calvin WOLFORD, born, according the family, in Oct, 1858, in Dry Fork...