do you think cold calls or cold mailing is a helpful way of getting information? I have tried to get my oldest known relative, my mother, to open up to no avail. I have tried the find the few names she has provide but to no avail. I know where my mother grew up am told that I still have many distant relatives in the area. I was thinking that I should cold call or write everyone in that area that has her maiden and my grandmother's last name inquiring if they are related. Their names are not that common and so far I see that there are 26 people listed in the phone book in that area. I don't want to be intrusive. Does this sound like a good idea?