Barbara, We are very distant "cousins." I have some information on your ancestor Solomon H.Imes, and would be glad to share. I don't think I know anything about your gggrandfather except his date of birth, but I know some about Solomon H.'s ancestry, Civil War service, etc. As to the origin of the family name - I doubt Dutch, but our probable English ancestor served as Queen Elizabeth I's Master of Ordnance (heavy weapons - cannon, mortars, bombs) during the "disturbances" in the Lowlands (Netherlands) circa 1590. He was Sir Robert I'Ans, and at least two of his sons (?grandsons?)lived in the West Counties (Devonshire/Cornwall) just south of Wales. Our ancestor seems to have been another son, William, born about 1640, who appears in Maryland records as landed gentry by 1670 when his eldest son (also William)was born. There's a gap in the records during the Revolutionary War which is why I said probable, but our for-sure ancestor served 7 years during the Revolutionary War and in 1800 moved his family from ?South Carolina? to Ohio (Lawrence Co.). The surname of our branch of the family was spelled "Iams" at that time. His children were Peter, Thomas, Solomon and Mary Ann (Polly). I will have to go back to my files to tell you whether your Solomon is descended from Peter or Solomon; my ancestor is Thomas. Let's correspond further. Rosemary (LadyRho@aol.com)