Hi Joan, Congratulations on your research project. I have become very involved in the genealogy of my family. I have 8 proven Mayflower descendants on my line and 4 on my husband's line--one "witch" Rebecca Nurse on my line. My grandmother was a Smith and I have become fascinated in how many Smith lines there are. They were New Englanders for over 400 years and I am proud my heritage--lots of stories. But I have one conundrum in my Smith lineage...my grandmother did not know the parentage of her (my) gr. grandfather Sylvanus Smith b. 1743 in Ct? My DNA links me to: Thomas Isaac Smith b. 1723, Orleans, Ma. d. 1759 in Middletown Ct. m. Ruth Mayo b. 1725 Eastham, Ma. in 1743 She remarried a Higgins on the death of Thomas and she died in1788 in Ct. I can find no records of the birth of Sylvanus Smith! Others have linked him to Samuel Smith who married Rebecca Stilllman--but my DNA does not go there. Why was his birth not acknowledged--why did Sylvanus not indicate who his parents were? Would enjoy sharing my stories with you. Kind regards, Jackie David
