John just THINKS I've got it easy--all my forbears were from either Germany or Luxembourg, and I don't speak the language. So trying to research overseas is a very thankless process. At least you guys can understand the documents you find!

But I tend to look at it as "solving mysteries" anyway, so... and occasionally, like this week, I find something by total accident: I'm proofreading a book and find a reference to Martin Brinegar's cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains--he was a cousin, fourth removed or some such, who knows--but definitely a long-lost relative. Check this out; scroll down a bit for picture.

Bill D., some days even 36 hours wouldn't be enough. But GOOD LUCK WITH THE HISTORY HUNTIN'--and let's keep using the free sites as much as we can before they start charging money for ALL the government records!