and inviting all others to join the party. In 1998 Merle wrote: Those of you that know (or suspect) your family went through Kentucky in this time, please contact me. I'll be glad to help you with families I do know. Merle C Rummel, Church Historian ------------------------- So here's my story. The Timberman family Abraham Timberman [bn 1782 PA] descended from Johann Jacob Zimmerman [bn 1642] of Wurttemberg, Germany, a Lutheran theologian and university professor. Abraham and several brothers left PA and [for reasons unknown] moved to BlountCo, TN, where he married Nancy Hawkins [bn c1781 NC] in 1801. c1811 this family removed to FranklinCo, IN, where in Oct 1823 his daughter, Martha, married William MILLER. Abe and son-in-law William Miller then removed to ParkeCo, IN. The following is lengthy but mentions many names that may be familiar to some of you. "Historical Sketch of Parke Co (IN)": Abraham TIMBERMAN, William and Edward BROCKWAY, Jacob BOWSHER, Samuel ARNOT, Lawson HUFFMAN and David SHIRK were the first settlers of Liberty township - 1822 to 1825. "The Early History of Liberty Township, Parke Co, In", by Samuel C Madden: "The first settlers must have been early in the twenties and I have long wished I could know who the very first comers to the township were. But I have sought in vain. I subscribed for the large map of the Co that was published several years ago with the assurance that it would give the early reminiscences of the township but it failed to materialize; in fact, I believe there were less than two lines across the map in the description of the township. But from the very best information that I can get I think it must have been Abram TIMBERMAN who settled about one mile southeast of Lodi. He was a member of the regular PREDESTINARIAN BAPTIST denomination and here gathered around him quite a large church for so early a day, say early in the twenties. They were composed of the CARMANS, MILLERS, THOMPSONS, SHIRKS in the immediate neighborhood and later on they were joined by others from adjoining neighborhoods. James MARKS, the SWAIMS, STANTONS, and others which constituted quite a large church. They worshipped for a number of years in Mr Timberman's dwelling house nearby where the Miller graveyard now is. After several years they built a church house on range nine about one mile south of the Parke and Fountain Co line, known as the Shirk meeting house. Rev David Shirk was elder or pastor for several years. After his death which was about 1860, '61 or '62 the church declined and has been laid down ever since the close of the war." William Miller is my brick wall. And while I am an experienced researcher, I have spent only the last 2 days following this particular angle. You will likely find me ignorant about much of what you've known for years. The first appearance of Wm was his marriage rec to Martha in 1823. While I know Abe Timberman had family in ButlerCo, OH and while I knew there were many Millers in both Butler and Franklin, because my William was born [bible record] 1796 in KY [census], I couldn't find a way to connect any of the Franklin Millers to William. And in all the Miller history I've read from many online sites, no one seems to have claimed my Wiliam. I have also found much contradictory information on the same families with little, if any, sourcing. So I admit I have some ideas based on limited research about some connections but also confused about others. A tiny but possibly relevant clue was a conversation with my cousin several years ago that her mother had mentioned that she had heard from family member[s] our William Miller "knew" Daniel Boone. I could come to no conclusion in attempting to confirm this "maybe" clue. Then I came across Merle's series of posts on the Kentucky churches and realized I might have just found my first KY to IN connection. It seems even more likely that my William belonged to one of the Baptist churches who were booted out at the 1822 Annual Meeting with some of those families moving north into southern IN followed by William marrying in 1823. Here would be another clue. William seemed to have used the naming pattern of the times with his first 5 children named John, Abram, Nancy, Samuel and Mary. 1) John being Wm's father, 2) Abram being Martha's father, 3) Nancy being Martha's mother OR the name of BOTH their mothers, 5) Mary being Wm's mother. It is proven that 2 and 3 or correct, implying that Wm's father would be John and his mother Mary UNLESS she was also a Nancy. This brings me to the one John I've found in Franklin/Union Co, IN, who I believe could be Wm's parents - the man called COL. JOHN MILLER. What I've seen so far is that he is assumed to be a cousin of Potter John Miller. No apparent proof that this is a correct assumption. His family does not seem to be clearly defined or complete. Several sites have him married to Nancy Capper with a specific 1800 date in FranklinCo, VA. I have been unable to confirm this date [or her maiden name] using several dbases. The children who appear to be proven are Martin, John Jr, Elizabeth and Benjamin. But in reviewing the Franklin/Union online recs and the censi, the 1820 census shows him to have 2 older daughters and a son bn 1794-1804. This is who I believe is my William bn 1796, a son of Col. John and Nancy LNU Miller. I am very interested in hearing any and all comments that could help to prove or disprove any part of my theory. Nel Hatcher -- HATCHER website: http://hatcherfamilyassn.com HALL DNA project: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~nhatcher/hall/HDNAtest.htm ... Digging up the Dead ... .. Irritating the Living .. ... It's what I do best! ...