This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: franciskeenan Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.burch/2334.5/mb.ashx Message Board Post: This Thomas Burch served as a private from Hardy County, Virginia (now West Virginia) in the Company of Capt. John Winston, 14th Regiment. This information suggested that Thomas Burch was in Virginia earlier than previously thought. There was this interesting information about the Capt. Winston Company. " Deserted from the co. of John Winston, 14th Va. Regt.: ... Joseph Clarke, native, c. 38; ... " [Source: Genealogical Abstracts from 18th-Century Virginia newspapers. Published by Robert Kirk Headley, 1987, p. 96.] This information suggested the possibility that Thomas Burch served with a Joseph Clarke. Interesting was that Burch married first to a Clark whose given name has remained unknown. The meaning of the abbreviation "c." in the quotation was not available in the on-line version of the book which was found by googling. Also, one must wonder what exactly was meant by the word "native" in the quotation? Could this possibly refer to native Indian? The book should be reviewed and the meaning of abbreviations was listed on p. xix but that page was not available on-line. Could this Clarke in the quotation have had any relationship to the Clark who has been suggested as the first wife of Thomas Burch? These speculative questions were more like "reaching for straws," as it were,with respect to Thos. Burch's 1st wife and they needed further research. "John Winston as Captain from 1776-81 received from the state of Virginia 4000 acres of land. Captain of the 14th Virginia Regiment. 3270-5492-6324-9895-17636. Record was copied from the D.A.R. lineage book. Captain John Winston was a member of the Society of Cincinnati. Born in Hanover County, Virginia and died there." [Source: Winston Family Record at Ancestry.com.] Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.