Parsell's of New York and Connecticut

[Leif Ericksson]

Hello!

I was able to get a grant to access all of the ancestry.com documents, and my students and I are currently completing a family history project.  I have been doing some research, and have hit a stonewall I was hoping that this group could help us with. 

My father's family are the Parsell's of the Connecticut shoreline; my ancestor William Henry Parsell was born in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1828, and moved to the Westport/Brideport, Connecticut area sometime before the birth of his first son, Increase Parsell (born 1854). 

I cannot however find a single lick of information about William's parents or relatives in New York, and thus that part of my family tree is truncated.  Does anyone have any information about this side of the family? There is so much online about Parsells, but I cannot make a connection without further information on William and his direct ancestors. 

Thank you very much for your help! 

[editorpfa]

Mr. Ericksson, our Google Group members belong to many different Purcell/Purcel/Pursell/Parsell/Pursley/etc. families, of which there are thousands of different lines in the history of the American continent and abroad.  So you may not receive a response concerning your particular family tree.  I sincerely hope you will and wish I could help.  My own Purcells did not live in Connecticut.  However, the Purcell Family of America Genealogical Association has been gathering information on many families for over 45 years.  Our published journals and newsletters are a treasure trove of family trees and other genealogical data on Purcells of various spellings and related families.  If you visit our website at    http://www.pfaroots.org    you will find a link to our Journal Indexes.  You can browse through them and look for the names you are sure of in your family line.  Too often there are several first names alike and it is hard to tell one from the other without going to the journal in question to investigate, but with a name like Increase Parsells, you should have some assurance that you've found the family.  However, in order to actually see the journal in question, you will be required to become a member of the organization for at least one year.  There is a link on the website for dues payment.  Good luck!