About a week ago, I posted the following to the Behymer mailing list: I would like to hear some discussion on this list re: the wife of John, Sr being Elizabeth Rinker. As far as I can tell, the only source for this surname is from the IGI and it is unverified and propagating like kudzu! I most confess that I have helped to propagate this "fact" as well. John Wayne and John Walter Picklesimer make a pretty convincing argument that the Anne and Elizabeth who show up in various Virginia records as the wife of John, Sr are, in fact, one and the same person. What does the list say to this? Shall we toss out Rinker, or can someone "show us the beef"? Are Anne and Elizabeth the same person, and while I am on this topic, are Barbara Wettil/Wadle/etc, wife of John, Jr and Sarah one and the same person? I am now in a position to answer the first question I posed regarding Elizabeth Rinker. I was in our local LDS family history center yesterday, and I found that Jonathan Beckelshymer is listed as a member of the Mormon Church very early in its history. I do not have the micro-fiche number before me at the moment, but can provide it, if anyone on this mailing list would like to look up this data at their local LDS genealogical library. This is what I found: >From the Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register 1845-46 Early Church File: Jonathan Beckelshymer was born 12/31/1787 in Franklin County, VA. His spouse was Susanna Kinsey. His endowment (likely date of marriage) was at the Nauvoo Temple, Hancock County, IL on 12/17/1845. He became a high priest on 10/6/1844 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, IL >From the "Early Church File:" His parents were John Beckelshymer and Elizabeth Rinker. His baptism was 3/9/1833. The Officiator when he became high priest was: G. Miller. The patriarchal blessing took place on 2/28/1838 in Jackson, MO, Officiator: Isaac Morley. This is what was recorded for his wife, Susanna Kinsey: >From the Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register 1845-46: She was born 6/12/1790 in Franklin County, VA. >From all of this, it is clear that the information on Elizabeth Rinker is verified. It was provided by her husband, Jonathan, and not by a genealogical researcher many years after the fact. It should also be possible to get copies of the original (rather than transcribed) records of the early LDS Church records, which I plan on pursuing. Clearly the records that show up in the IGI are by someone from the LDS Church (likely Susan Easton) who transcribed the records from the early church files. Since Jonathan is the brother of the other 9 (or so) Behymers who migrated from VA to OH in the early 1800's (per Aaron Behymer's diary), it is pretty conclusive that this establishes Elizabeth Rinker and John, Sr as their parents. Lastly, It seems that it may be possible to find Jonathan in either Jackson, MO or Hancock County, IL in the 1840 census, although census indices for both states do not show him listed. Jonathan is in Preble County, OH in 1820 and in Clermont County, OH in 1830. Also, Jonathan is not shown in the early LDS Church records as a pioneer who traveled with Brigham Young and the other Mormons to Utah. This is presumably because of his advanced age. I was quite excited by this find! I hope you will be too. John Charles Tippet JohnDoeTippet@csi.com