When you hit a wall even the slightest bit of information may lead to a treasure. My great aunt said that her mother had a brother but she didn't know his name. As I was searching for her grandfather who was a Gladfelter, I found the brother's name--Orbin. Isn't that an interesting and unique name. Orbin's father died when he was still a baby, as a teen he ran away from home and was never heard of again. I went out on Ancestry.com. He was born after the 1880 census. Most of the 1890 census records were destroyed. But I found an Orbie Gladfelter on the 1900 census. He was on a farm about maybe 100 miles from where he had lived with his mother and new stepfather. However, by 1900, his family had already moved to Oregon. Several months later, I found a copy of his WWI draft registration record. I showed his name as Orb Gladfelter. It also listed his father's sister as his next of kin. This tells me that he somehow kept in touch with his father's side of the family. It gave his residence, what he looked like, where he worked. I haven't been able to find anything else. But one must have patience and drive and of course a little luck.

sounds like a great idea. :)