Lin found a treasure trove of records at the Ellis Island site, but nearly all of her family came through there fairly recently.

I've found one line going back to England ca. 1605, with apparently reliable records; but most of the other branches on my ancestral tree are stumps. A great-great grandmother has a very nice monument in a pretty cemetery nearby, but great-great grandfather does not appear in any census, deed, newspaper or other source we've been able to find. (Their daughter, great grandma, is in a couple of the local history books - homesteader, muleskinner, and fur trapper of some notable reputation before her marriage.)

My paternal line truncates with my own grandfather. Although we know a partial name for his dad (and a cousin claims to have lots more info that she refuses to show to me) documentation/traceability is otherwise non-existent.

I just assume that I come from a long line of horse-thieves and bootleggers who kept out of the public eye. Lin can trace a couple of black sheep in her family - but only because they all got caught. Mine must have been more successful(?).

John