While looking through a file on the Pearce/Pierce family in Randolph County, NC , I found this story about a couple of the sons of Ansel Pearce and Mary Briles Pearce ( granddaughter of Conrad Briles ) I thought you might enjoy it as I did. <grin> : " Ansel Pierce's boys were said to be very homely. Though each one was said to have married pretty girls. And once prior to the war between the states ,when they were manufacturing salt at Fayetteville , two of the Pierce boys, Ezra and Eli, were sent by their neighborhood to get a wagon load or two of salt to do them all for a year. It was quite a trip at that time. Driving teams of horses or mules and took them several days. They were camping beside the road one night. Eli around the campfire and Ezra in the covered wagon. Two men were passing at the time and one of them was heard to say " I'll bet five dollars that is the ugliest man in NC" and Eli hearing the words , said " I'll bet five dollars it's not so. " The passerby said alright, " Lay down your money " The man did and Eli put down his. Then Eli called " Brother Ezra poke your head out. " Ezra did , not knowing what was wanted. The passerby said, " You win " and gave the money to Eli. The tale was told by them both on their arrival home. " This family is represented in Steve's database here : http://www.ultranet.com/~deeds/broyles/html/d0001/g0000068.htm#I3407 Vickie Crim Davis vcdavis@netunlimited.net