Thanks for taking the time to reply. Yes, I/we have William McConnell's "History of McConnell," but unfortunately it is riddled with errors. If you look at the line stating they were from Berwick-on-Tweed, Scotland - there is no such place. Berwick-on-Tweed has been part of Northumberland, England since the late 1300 or early 1400s. It is a border town. But our McConnells ARE Scottish - my cousin is part of the McConnell DNA Project. My theory is that the errors are in part because William McConnell sets this down on paper in his late days, written at about 78 years old, when all his siblings and family are deceased. Either his memory is faulty, if these are childhood memories, or perhaps the stories told may have been slightly exaggerated to keep the interest of small children and aggrandize the teller, who is George McConnell. We don't know. Family has done some research and found the fact faulty - OTOH, I have found some of the facts accurate as well (I found a record of George meeting the son of the widow he almost went to Scotland with - he lived in Pittstown, Rensselaer, NY as well, in later life, long after his mother's death). But relatives have sought information on George at the University of Edinburgh, and they have no record of George attending college there. And Sarah Carson - family states her name was NOT Carson, but something similar such as Casson, Cassen, Carsen, some variation on the spelling. In fact, no one can find records of a marriage between a William McConnell 1699-1728 and a Sarah Carson or any marriage or record of William. So that's where we stand. I was privileged in the last few weeks to visit a cemetery and the grave of George McConnell's wife, Martha "Patty" Seely McConnell, my 6x-great-grandmother. The cemetery sits on the corner of the farm whereupon a sign states, McConnell Farm Founded 1796 (or similar wording I've forgotten) and standing barefoot on top of one of the foothills of the Adirondacks near a very large, very old tree taking pictures. I'm still awe-struck from the gravity of it all. Stunning place, and as I was singing (as usual) I realized the cows were listening to me. Such a privilege and thrill. Thanks for writing.