First, I will give thanks to the Good Lord for giving us such a great heritage. My brother, James B. McCartney, started this research long before any of us could imagine where it could take us. Thanks to Jim, I was able to continue the search. The many sources I have used are:

-St. Aloysius Church, Cresson, PA,
-St. Bartholmew Church, Wilmore, PA,
-St. Michaels Church, Loretto, PA and their Centennial book of 1899,
-Bedford County Courthouse
-Pioneer Heritage Society,
-Blair County Family Historical Society
-Church of the Latter Day Saints
-Blair County Genealogical Society
-Cambria County Courthouse
-Ebensburg Historical Society

The items I searched were:

-Census records from both Bedford (Belfast Twp.) and Cambria County
-Father Alfred Ledoux series of Catholic Church records.

Persons who have been generous with the sharing of information are:

-Richard Sharp from Bluefield, W.VA
-Linda Grible and Winnie Amato, both from OH, who are distant cousins of the Sharp family
-Patricia George from Cedars, PA
-Coleen and Wm. Loomis Silver Springs, Md, cousins of the -Sharp-Farren-McConnell families
-Kathy Burnham of Arvada, CO
-John Cummings of Mars PA of the McCartney-Donnelly families.
-Dorothy Smay, a daughter of our cousin (Bud Eckenrode), shared her Loretto Centennial Book of 1899
-Kay Leach from the Pioneer Historical Society, Bedford, PA, sent me background information about the Sharp families

These sources were very reliable. I have copies of wills, deeds, and other papers, verifying legal documents that I have found.

I wish to express my deepest gratitude to all the wonderful people who helped me in this search.

Louise A.(McCartney) Frederick 2001