Hello Donna,

Thank you for your words of encouragement. I am not sure that courage is what I have--desperation might be more the correct word. I am hoping against hope that the land records will help clarify at least some of the relationships in my husband's family (which almost seem to be murkier than ever after looking at the will information).

You are right--the land records are hard to find. I just happened to stumble upon the information in Frances Coakley's website, which proved to be invaluable.

http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Contrib/manx/famhist/genealgy/ldsfilms.htm

(Thank you, Frances, for this, and for all the other innumerable ways in which you help!)

Lois