This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/DiH.2ACEB/1719.1.1 Message Board Post: Hi Jerry, I've started doing research at the genealogy library to sort out the multiple David Carsons and others in PA. What I've found is there were multiple David Carsons in York, Lancaster, Dauphin and Cumberland PA and even more Williams, Johns, Samuels, Roberts, and others in the 1740-1780 timeframe in those counties. Researching county by county in PA, I've found perhaps several of each by the 1750s. By the 1780s, there were maybe 10 to 20 of each. I've noticed that multiple families of Carsons have claimed the same ancestor based on a name in the Chester and York Carson wills, unaware there were multiple individuals with that name. I also noticed that some have plugged in their descendants on family trees with dates and locations that could not possibly match, given the findings in PA. As a result, most of the online Carson family trees I've seen are now messed up. In Lancaster PA I found an older David Carson who had daughters Margaret and Mary born 1754-56. A David Carson was on the Dauphin tax roll in 1750. In York Cumberland township a David is on the tax list in 1779. A David Carson is in Cumberland in 1778 in Tyrone township then appears to died with Sarah widow listed and another David next door in 1779, possibly his son. A David was in the Cumberland PA militia. A David married in 1784 and another David married in 1785 in Philadelphia. A David Carson is in the 1762 Adams PA tax list. David Carson is listed as an heir of John Linn Carson in 1762 in the Minallen township. There was another David Carson who escaped from the jail in the 1770s timeframe and disappears. There were a David Carson in eastern TN in 1787 then 5 years later there were 5 Davids or age in Washington and Greene counties. I guess the conclusion is there are multiple individuals in PA who could be ancestors in addition to those who left wills in York and Chester. This will take more research. I've narrowed the possibilities down (at least for my David's parents in eastern TN) and will post more details when they are known as to which PA ancestors he connects to. What documentation has been used to show your David was a son of the York Samuel? Thanks, Gary