NO MORE BRICK WALLS BETWEEN JACKSON CO., FL AND DECATUR CO., GA According to the Tax Rolls of Jackson County, FL, there were no CLOUD names contained on the rolls for the year 1845. Then, one year later, in 1846 the names of JAMES (JAS) CLOUD and JOHN CLOUD appear on the rolls. Some researchers have assumed that James and John were brothers from Decatur Co., GA and that they were the sons of JOHN CLOUD [b: c 1782]. The names match but evidence has been lacking to prove the case. I agree with the assumptions and would like to present what I consider to be evidence to prove them. CASE FOR JOHN CLOUD [REPEATED FROM A PREVIOUS POSTING] On 29 August 2001, I posted proof on "CLOUD-L" that the JOHN CLOUD shown on the 1850 and 1860 US Census for Jackson Co., FL was indeed the same JOHN CLOUD [b: c 1817] of Decatur Co, GA and who was a proven son of JOHN CLOUD [b: c 1782]. That proof consisted of a 250 acre tract of land in Decatur Co., GA, identified as Lot 69 District 21, which was sold to JOHN CLOUD [b: c 1817] on 28 September 1842. [Ref. Decatur Co. Deed Book F-9] .He retained ownership of this land after moving to Jackson County, FL in 1846. Then on 20 December 1854, JOHN CLOUD of Jackson Co., FL sold the tract of Decatur County land to William C. Watson, also of Jackson Co., FL. [Ref. Jackson County Deed Book B-255] Additional details related to this proof can be found in my 29 Aug 2001 posting to "CLOUD-L". CASE FOR JAMES CLOUD Unfortunately, JAMES CLOUD did not own Decatur Co., GA land at the time he moved to Jackson Co., FL. So, we will need to identify other forms of evidence which will permit us to conclude that the JAMES CLOUD living in Jackson Co., FL is the same JAMES CLOUD [b: c1814] who lived in Decatur Co., GA before 1845 and -was a proven son of JOHN CLOUD [b: c 1782]. FACT: Jackson Co., FL census records for 1850, 1860, and 1870 show that JAMES CLOUD was born in South Carolina. While census records prior to 1850 did not show places of birth, we do know that JAMES CLOUD [b: c 1814] of Decatur Co., GA was born in the state of South Carolina. His father, JOHN CLOUD [b: c 1782] was in Edgefield Co., SC for positive until 21 Sep 1810 when he sold 250 Acres of land to John Matthews, and was probably there until 15 Dec 1817 when he was shown to be in Twiggs Co., GA. Another of John's sons, PHILLIP CLOUD, was born in South Carolina in 1809 FACT: Age consistency should lend credibility to our comparison of the JAMES CLOUD in Jackson Co., FL with the JAMES CLOUD in Decatur Co., GA. And, if you make some allowances, you will find that our assumptions can be confirmed. Let's examine the US Census records In Jackson Co., FL for JAMES CLOUD. His 1850 census age of 40 leads to a year of birth of 1810. Similarly, his 1860 census age of 51 leads to a year of birth of 1809. But, for some reason, his age in the 1870 census was shown as 50 leading to his year of birth as 1820. A reasonable allowance would be to assume that the age in 1870 is 60 years old and not 50. We will never know why the Census Taker wrote 50 for the age of JAMES CLOUD in the 1870 census. Now, lets go to JAMES CLOUD in Decatur Co., GA. The best indicator for his true age is the Decatur Co., GA Tax Digest. When a male reaches the age of 21 in Georgia, he is automatically assessed a tax which is identified as a "Pole Tax". The Pole Tax is applied to this individual each year until he reaches the age of 50. In the case of JAMES CLOUD, he first appears on the Decatur County Tax Digest for the year of 1835. Subtracting 21 from 1835 gives a year of birth of 1814. If you look at the 1840 census for Decatur Co., GA, JAMES CLOUD shows as a male over 15 and under 20. THIS IS A DIRECT CONTRADICTION OF THE POLE TAX ASSESSMENT IN THE YEAR 1835. Therefore, a second reasonable allowance would be to assume the census taker made his mark for JAMES CLOUD in the wrong column and should have shown it in the column for "Over 20 and Under 30". I have looked at that census page many times and the absence of ruled lines, both vertically and horizontally, make this type of error highly probable, especially since the entry for JAMES CLOUD falls at the bottom of the census page and none of the entries line up very well. Couple this with the fact that his younger brother, JOHN CLOUD [b: 1817] appears in the 1840 Census for Early Co., GA as a male "Over 20 and Under 30". FACT: Timing of Events. If you examine the chronology of events related to JAMES CLOUD [b: 1814] during the period from 1840 to 1846, you can get a very real picture of his PRESENCE in Decatur Co., GA through 1945 as well as his ABSENCE after1845.. In 1840, JAMES CLOUD is in the US Census for Decatur Co., GA 11 Sep 1841 JAMES CLOUD issues a receipt to his Uncle Reuben Cloud re Adm. Estate of his father, John Cloud [Book F-6] 1841 JAMES CLOUD appears on the Decatur Co., GA Tax Digest for a Pole Tax for fourth time. [Previous times were 1835, 1838, and 1839] 8 Jan 1842 JAMES CLOUD at sale of JOHN CLOUD'S personal property. 28 Sep 1842 JAMES CLOUD transfers share of his father JOHN'S estate to REUBEN CLOUD. 1845 JAMES CLOUD appears on the Decatur Co., GA Tax List for the last time. Shows as a Tax Defaulter 1846 JAMES CLOUD appears, for the first time, on the Jackson Co, FL tax list. No Clouds appear prior to this date. 1850 US Census for Jackson Co., FL P.89 JAMES (40)SC, EDNY (23)NC It is interesting to note that a similar chronology can be made for JOHN CLOUD [b: c 1817]. In other words, these two brothers were in Decatur Co, GA at the same time AND they vanished from the scene at the same time AND they both appeared in Jackson Co., FL at the same time. CONCLUSIONS: And there you have it. Each of the above FACTS standing alone might be considered circumstantial evidence. But when combined, I believe they make an evidentiary argument. The next issue of the Cloud Family Journal will contain a summary of the research I have done to connect the CLOUDS in Decatur County, GA with the CLOUDS in Edgefield County, SC. And the information contained therein reinforces the basic positions outlined above. In other words, the Journal article presents the proof that JOHN CLOUD [b: c 1784] was the father of four sons, PHILLIP CLOUD [b: c 1809] SC, DANIEL CLOUD [b: c 1811] GA, JAMES CLOUD [b: c 1814] SC, and JOHN CLOUD [b: c 1817] GA. The article also accounts for some of these sons being born in the state of South Carolina. Nothing in life is absolute, especially in our genealogical research. A lot of printed information represents someone's best guess or interpretation of the facts as they see them. With this thought in mind, I sincerely ask for the thoughts and ideas of other researchers that surely will lead us to a better understanding of our ancestors. Ralph Byron "Rex" Sanders