I am not saying this to argue. I left out some information when I told you about GR. In the news paper article, he mentioned about his age. He also said that his age was in the family Bible. And that was fact and he wouldn't lie about it. The part that is so hard to deal with, he wouldn't make up his mind about his age, his name or where he was born. I understand that they moved the States around back than. But it names the counties. Gwinnett and the county in NC is two different counties. I know that a lot of counties back than where different than they are now. For example. where I live right now has been in 4 different counties through the years. I can deal with that. I jst don't seem to believe that Gwinnett and the county in NC maybe two hundred miles away could be the same place. I don't remember the NC. county off hand. Yes I bet he was a private man. I think that is the reason he is so hard to find. Thank you for your input. May I pass your e-mail to another one that is dealing with GR, the impossible? Dorothy (Tricai I hope you don't mind I forwarded this on to the list since you meant for it to go there Kathy) And... may I add to Kathy's comment... those recordings later can be wonderful things. My sister did that with my Dad, in particular, who later died. We now have tapes that I can add to our family tree, with pictures and "voice" (including his crazy laugh), that I can burn into CDs for future generations to read, see and hear. Kathy's email made several "tip" kind of things come to mind.... so I thought I'd share them: Dorothy made the comment in her email .... "said in a News Paper article that he was born in NC. On his oath of allegiance it said Gwinnett, GA.". Well, when I first started ancestry not so long ago, based on the migration patterns I saw, I decided that my forefathers kept their kids and belongings loaded on a wagon so that as soon as they got the land cleared, the cabin built and the crops planted that they could move on to the next spot to clear the land, build a cabin and plant more crops! Seriously, I thought we must have been 'early settler vagabonds'! Then one day, while looking for my maternal grandfather... I found some old maps. I really started studying them only to finally discover that my relatives may not have moved at all! What had been Virginia became North Carolina became Tennessee became God only knows how many counties of Tennessee, and so on over a relatively short period of time. So... my dear Dorothy (and anyone else listening)... did you know that North Carolina at one time went as far west as the Mississippi and as far south as below the now Greenville County, S.C.? I understand that at one time it may have gone south all the way to Charleston (the Atlantic), which may well have encompassed what is now GA, depending on when this occurred. North and South Carolina were once upon a time 'The Carolinas', as in one. There often are historical maps on state genweb sites, abeit sometimes hidden, or most likely library historical areas either have them or can obtain them (books), on loan. You may wish to consider that. County names now are not usually what they were back a few years ago, nor a few before that... nor are the boundaries the same. Maps help a great deal! Further... when you find census records with varying information, it may be that the census taker didn't actually talk to your gg grandfather (who was busy delivering a baby or sewing up a cut), but got his information from your gg grandmother, the youngest kid if she was busy, the neighbor lady if she was gone, or if he was local, already had it partly filled in since he knew him and everything about him anyway, or gg grandfather/mother weren't comfortable about all the questions and didn't worry about being real accurate. Many folks supposedly were leery of the census takers and their questions back then. Not that we EVER are in our modern age!! :: blink :: Your ancestor probably knew *exactly* who he was and what was going on. (I don't think they really cared a lot about "age" back then either as we do now.) Hope that this helps someone a little... and that I haven't mis-spoken myself at all. :: grin :: Tricia Roberts Hall Greenville/Spartanburg, SC __________________________________ He best understands who has felt the pain. -- The Compassionate Friends Nicole Noella 12/30/1980 - 4/17/1999