Greetings ... Just received a 10 page article from THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY STORY, Montgomery Co. Historical Society, Nov. 1993 entitled LAND SPECULATORS: JAMES BUTLER and JOHN BRADFORD. A few things I gleaned as might pertain to our recent Genetic [Y-DNA] matches in the Orange Co. NC group. pg. 273 "Well known are some of the stories of some of the speculators: William Joseph and Colonel Henry Darnall, two of the earliest:....... Less well known is the story of James Butler and John Bradford and the woman they married, JOYCE CARROLL. pg. 275 "John Bradford, a planter and a factor (agent) for John Hyde, merchant in London, had come to Maryland by 1701 ......... He was a widower, his first wife having been Ann Gant, daughter of Thomas Gant, stepdaughter of John Wight, by whom he had a son named JOHN, born sometime between 1702 and 1707." (There was also a son William by Joyce the 2nd wife who is thought to have died young.) The article goes on to describe in detail the lives/transactions of the above. (About 1723 John Bradford held an impressive 14,355 acres of land.) At any rate his will was probated in 1726 and he was heavily in debt and over extended. pg. 279 "In July of 1733 Bradford (John the son) conveyed to Daniel CARROLL of Duddingon Mannor the houses, orchards and lands in County Leicaster, England, that he had received under the terms of his father's will. The deed stated that the conveyance was in consideration of the payment of 500 pounds. However, land records show that a few months later Daniel CARROLL of Duddington Mannor executed a deed conveying these two properties to Daniel Carroll of Marlborough and Charles Digges, for the use and benefit of ANN BRADFORD, wife of JOHN BRADFORD. After Ann's death, they were to descend to any children she and John had or might have; if no heirs, to the trustees." pg. 280 "With this last deed (1739), JOHN BRADFORD disappears from the county records, gone where we do not know, but there is a chance he went to those houses and orchards in County Leicaster, England." I don't know what all of this means but if no trace is found in VA, perhaps the family returned to England and the sons returned to America about 1750. (maybe through SC?) [From Durham-Orange Genealogical Society, 1997: "David Bradford was noted in Orange County by March 1754 when his cattle mark was registered in the county court records - a hole in the right ear and a slit in the left (Orange Co Court Minutes, Book 1, pag 59).] Another notation is that on the 1755 Orange Co Tax list is David, John & Son, Thomas Bradford. John Bradford & son were only on the 1755 tax list, Thomas & David were on all until 1792. All input would be appreciated as broad connections to the Orange Co. NC family are being made through genetics but paper trails are needed to cement the connections on American soil vs. across the sea. Becky Mosely www.bradfordgenealogy.org