Since I always believe in sharing, thought the email I sent to someone researching Carsons in SC York County might be of use to others. Josette Maxwell Boone NC From: "Josette L. Maxwell" <[email protected]> To: Janet Walsted Subject: Re: Carson's in York Co. SC Date: Jan 16, 2007 10:54 AM Finally found some time to dig out old files. What I was doing was researching the Carsons in NC/SC during Colonial times. To place things in perspective about the Carsons in York, bear with me while I go through a little background. Samuel Carson (m. first Jane Patterson 2nd Sarah Reese Wallace) was in Londongrove Chester Ct. PA on the 1725 tax list. In the same town on the 1729 tax list with Samuel was Walter Carson. We believe they were related somehow - brothers or cousins., possibly coming to the US together. Walter Carson (1st) married Agnes ?, moved to what became Adams Ct. PA. He had proven children Agness m. Henry Maxwell, John m. Mary (moved first to York SC 1779, then Rutherford Ct. NC by 1790), William ("went to the Carolinas" by 1783 according to a letter but I've never found him. and Helen who may have married Andrew Morrison, identified as an uncle by one of Henry Maxwell's sons in 1783). We also believe but have the slimmest of evidence to prove that they also had a son Walter Carson (2nd) who married Mary Carson, daughter of Samuel Carson m. Jane Patterson. Walter Carson was in NC by 1765, then moved to York Ct. SC. There exists proof showing that William Carson (son of Samuel m. Jane Patterson) was in York SC along with his four brothers-in-law identified as Walter Carson 2nd (m. Mary Carson) Samuel Corry (m. Jane Carson) , David Byers (m. Margaret Carson), , and Abraham McCarter (m. Elizabeth Carson). Two other daughters of Samuel m. Jane Pattrson ended up in the Carolinas (Agnes Carson m. James Duff, Hannah Carson m. John Rankin). It looks like they all went initially to Guilford Ct. NC, then William and his four brothers in law migrated to York Ct. SC. First dates of Walter Carson 2nd in the Carolinas was 1765. Descendent information says they all moved to York SC in the middle of the Rev.War. There are land grants in York Ct. to: Robert Carson Turkey Creek 1772 William Carson Turkey Creek 1778 John Carson Fishing Creek 1776 Samuel and Thomas Carson jointly Fishing Creek 1778 In 1778, Walter Carson and William Carson were the only Carsons listed as residents of York Ct. SC In 1790, the census shows John Carson, Samuel Carson, Thomas Carson, William Carson and two Walter Carsons. Now what gets people confused is that Walter Carson (2nd) ALSO married a Mary Carson, but she was the daughter of William (son of Samuel m. Jane Patterson) and Susanna Carson and they had a son Walter Carson (3rd). The children of Walter Carson (2nd) obviously include their son Walter Carson (3rd) but beyond that, it's only speculation. There is a letter from John Carson (grandson of Walter and Agness of PA) to his brother Walter Carson (living in Indiana) which identifies Walter and Robert Carsons as relatives living in York SC. There is an Agnes Carson who marries Matthew Dickson where birth records for children show York SC. So, I think that Walter Carson 2nd had at least three children: Walter 3rd, Robert and Agnes. William (son of Samuel and Jane Patterson) m. Susannah ? and had children (from his will 1811): Samuel (eldest) William Robert Francis Mary b.1764 (who married Walter Carson 3rd) Jean Susanna b. 1773 m. Martin plus Rebecca (died young) In terms of time lines, it would appear that the children of Walter 2nd and William (son of Samuel m. Jane Patterson) would probably have been born in the 1720s/30s. Their children would have been born 1750s/60s/70s - so they would have been adults circa 1800. Walter Carson 3rd was b. 1751. The letter from John Carson in Rutherford (grandson of Walter and Agness of PA) was written in 1816 identifying Walter and Robert as relatives. Walter 2nd would have been his uncle (he was alive 1810) and whether Robert was an uncle I don't know. The only Robert on the 1810 Census is listed age 26-44; too young to have been an uncle. However, there was the Robert with a land grant 1772 who could have died and had a son Robert. The problem is that Willaim (son of Samuel m. Jane Patterson) had a son Robert who would have been the right age. In 1810, there are the following Carsons: John 45 +, Thomas 45 + and William 26-44 living next door to each other. Robert 26-44 lives nearby. Samuel 45+ and second Samuel 45+ live on Fishing Creek, Walter sn. and Walter jr. both 45+ William Sr. 45+ and a William living on Fishing Creek 26-44, and Francis 26-44. The two Walters are father and son. No children of Walter 3rd are old enough to be listed. One of the three Williams is the son of Samuel m. Jane Patterson who has sons Samuel, William, Robert and Francis. With respect to the two Samuels, one could well be the son of William (son of Samuel m. Jane Patterson). The second one could well be the son of Walter 2nd - given that his wife Mary was the daughter of Samuel m. Jane Patterson. Robert and Francis are probably children of William (son of Samuel m. Jane Patterson) given their ages. and one of the three Williams is probably their son as well. This leaves us with John 45+, Thomas 45+ and William 26-44. Now of these 11 Carsons in 1810, William (26-44), Thomas, one Samuel 45+ Walter and a second William 26-44 all show males under ten and thus could be the father of your James Carson if he was born in York SC. Thomas remains in York Ct. and does have a son James of the right age living next door to him in a later census. I don't know if all this helps you or not. Josette .