My Carroll Brick Wall. I am a ggg-grandson of ANTHONY WAYNE CARROLL (or Carrel, 1806-1882) and Balinda Root, who married in 1826 at Granville, Licking County, Ohio. While Balinda Root's ancestors can be traced back to John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley of the Mayflower, Anthony Wayne Carroll's family of origin remains a mystery. Over thirty years of research has failed to find them. He is said to be one of perhaps eight children. Briefly, this is what family legend claims Anthony Wayne Carroll said of his origins. His father named him after General Anthony Wayne whom he either admired or served with (or both). His father, name unknown, was killed in the War of 1812 (who knows which side?), and his mother, name also unknown, destitute and with eight children to feed, gave Anthony over to a well-off neighbor who offered to take a boy and teach him a trade. It is said she lined the kids up along the fence and let the man take his pick. The man chose Anthony, hoisted the boy into the saddle, and rode off. Anthony, who was about seven years old, remembered only that the man wore a long black cape. He also remembered his birthdate as February 20, 1806, born in western Pennsylvania, and at least how to pronounce his name. What happened during the next twenty years remains cloaked in mystery. The first official record found for him is his marriage certificate of 1826, whereupon his named is spelled Carrel, but ever afterward as Carroll. Whatever happened to his mother, his bothers and sisters, and even their names, remain unknown. He apparently never spoke of them to his wife, his eight children, or his many grandchildren. He probably didn't know. Anthony Wayne Carroll died in 1882 and is buried at Olathe, Johnson County, Kansas. I can find only three Carrolls known to have been killed in the War of 1812, who are Philip Carroll of Ohio, St. Claie Carroll, and John Carroll of Canada. I suspect Philip Carroll may be the father, as Anthony named his first son Philip, and there is also an index listing an Estate filing in Common Pleas Court, Jefferson County, Ohio for a Philip Carroll filed in 1814. Unfortunately the court clerk in Jefferson County cannot find the Estate records, and NARA cannot find any military records for Philip, so I am stuck. His children, all born near Granville, Licking County, Ohio were: Mary Damaris Carroll (1827-1902) d. Henry County, Illinois Philip Noble Carroll (1829-1889) d. Licking County, Ohio Alanson Root Carroll (1832-1907) d. Independence, Missouri Anthony Wayne Carroll Jr. (1834-1906) d. Kalkaska, Michigan (my gg-grandfather) Ellen Belinda Carroll (1836-1904) d. Colorado Springs, Colorado Moses Carroll (1837-1869) d. Licking County, Ohio Lydia Theresa Carroll (1839-1911) d. Independence, Missouri James Dilly Carroll (1845-1883) d. Marshall County, Illinois If any of this rings a bell with anyone please let me know. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I would like to find my missing Carroll roots. They seemed to be English, and Presbyterian, and in the Northeast (or even Canada), and probably not related to the Irish Catholic Carrolls of Maryland, etc. I have posted my Carroll GEDCOM at RootsWeb WorldConnect. Thank you! Eric ericbear@flash.net