Most of the historical records have now been entered into the timeline.  This means that the basic outline of my Gt-Gt-Grandfather’s life is on display – his birth, his first marriage and the birth of his children in New London, his service in the Union Army during the  American Civil War, his arrival in New Zealand and the highlights of his 17 years in this country, his marriage to May Curtain upon his return to the USA and a hint of the questions that poses, and then his residence in San Francisco and his third marriage to Louisa Sayer culminating in his death in 1909. A significant section of the story remains to be told.  The Alice Burrows story of 1887 brought Samuel Murray Carr (or Henry M Carr as he was then known) firmly into the public eye. It may well have been this reporting that brought Henry Kurtain’s true identity to the attention of his New Zealand family. Fortunately for us the Chronicle reporters made the connection between Carr and the visit made by his wife to San Francisco 10 years before in fruitless search of her children. The background information they provide gives us clues to the mystery that has surrounded Henry Kurtain.  The reporter clearly took a very negative view of Carr and the account he gives is highly slanted. This needs to be borne in mind when evaluating the story and attempting to separate fact from opinion. The material from 1887 refers back to earlier times and fills in gaps in our knowledge, at times by quoting from contemporary documents.  I am placing a reference at the head of timeline contents to indicate where the source date is different from the event itself.