Dear Mr Crecelius:

I know you are very busy and have worked very hard on the Crecelius and Bottles/Bartles lines. I received most of the information I have gathered on the Crecelius family from the LDS website. My uncle had the information that his gf [my g-gf] James S Burnard Forrest was related to the same family as the Forrest girls that married into the Crecelius family. Their parents were Thomas Forrest and Ellen [unk].

Your information indicated that Ellen Elizabeth "Ella" Forrest first married a Benham. This hint helped me to discover that an Ellen Benham 26 IN [ealier census prove that there is no child Ellen Benham] l/w Luther Benham m Susan White in 1870 Meade Co KY. This family was only four doors from Catherine Ann "Kate" Forrest m Oliver P Westfall. By process of elimination I believe that Ellen m Stewart Henry Benham. The eldest two Benham sons are accounted for.

I am attempting to find these Forrest children in 1860. I found them with their parents in 1850 Lafayette, Tippecanoe Co IN. Both parents were born in Ireland. From a book on naturalizations in Tippecanoe Co IN I found the information that Thomas Forrest was from Co Cork Ireland.

Since Ellen [the mother] was born Ireland as well she must also have been a naturalized citizen. Is this how you discovered that her maiden name is CARTER? And indeed my g-gf James Forrest in later census gave the information that both his parents were born Ireland. Although sister Kate said her parents were born KY.

It seems that Thomas d 1854 and that his wife Ellen d 1850/1860. Thus these children were orphaned. I wonder if you have any other information that would help me discover who these children were given to and where I could find them in 1860.

What connection is there that would take the two eldest girls to southern IN when they lived in middle IN? My uncle said that he found Thomas Forrest as a single man in 1840 Vanderburgh Co IN [southern IN] but I have been unable to prove this. Perhaps he was looking at a state census.

I implore you sir. If there is anything that you could tell me that would help me find these children in 1860, I would be forever in your debt. And if you could tell me how you found out that the mother Ellen's maiden name is Carter I would appreciate that very much.

God bless,

Sharon (Forrest) Petrie

PS my email is spetrie6@aol.com