In a message dated 04/12/1999 2:06:05 PM Pacific Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: << My ancestor's obit says he was born in Decatur, Limestone County, AL in 1819. I just wonder if we are looking in the wrong county for his parents? All my maps show Decatur in Morgan County, even the early maps. But this ancestor never ever mentioned Morgan County! A real puzzle. >> Limestone and Morgan were both formed in 1818 from Indian lands. Decatur is in modern-day Morgan County. Sometimes information was a little "general" in obituaries and death certificates. Perhaps the closest "big" town was Decatur. And perhaps the birth year was slightly off. With these areas where so much speculation and development was going on, I think you need to search a wide area for records. You are wise to be searching al the counties around that general area as well. Michele