Welcome to the confusing world of Cloud genealogy. I can't answer your questions but I sure can add to the confusion. My grandfather was George W. Cloud, born in Stokes County, NC in 1804. He migrated by way of McMinn County, TN into Jackson County, AL. (George lived in McMinn County during the same period that Isaac was living there) George lived in Jackson County, AL until his death in 1871 and he was buried in Rocky Springs Cemetery. George named one of his sons Benjamin Franklin. Ben was born in 1865 and he in turn named one of his sons Benjamin Franklin. George had a brother named John Franklin Cloud, born in Stokes County, NC in 1810, who followed George to Jackson County. He lived in Doran's Cove, Jackson County until 1865 when he moved his family to Lamar County, TX. George had another brother named James Madison, born in Stokes County, NC in 1812, who also migrated to Jackson County, AL. James Madison served in the AL State Legislature. He lived out his years in Jackson County and was buried in that county. During the same time period, another James Madison lived in the next door county, Madison County, AL. Wait, it gets more interesting. Before Jackson County, AL was formed, a Benjamin Cloud was living in the area. He served as Justice of the Peace in the county. I think he went back up into TN. A Jeremiah H. Cloud was also Justice of the Peace in Jackson County in 1820. I don't know what became of him. I guess he went to join all the other 150 Jeremiahs. A Francis Cloud was living in Jackson County by 1826. In 1840, George, John Franklin and James Madison Cloud all settle in Jackson County. A James Madison Cloud from Jackson County (not the James Madisons mentioned above) joined Co. F, 1st AL Volunteers and served under Col. John R. Coffey in the Mexican War. He returned to Jackson County after being mustered out in New Orleans and in 1847 he went to live with the Creek Nation, Indian Territory, later to become Oklahoma. In 1849, Francis Cloud migrated to Lamar County, TX. That was the same part of TX where John Franklin mentioned above took his family in 1865. Francis died in Lamar County in 1854. His will lists his children as James, Mariah, William, Catherine, George, Nancy and Isaac. Were all of these Clouds related to your James Madison, Isaac, Benjamin Franklin and Francis Marion Clouds? I believe they were. How? I haven't the foggiest idea. I keep waiting for Harry to get it all sorted out. Lots of luck. Ray Shirley First, I'm going to admit that I'm not a "professional" genealogist - in fact, I'm not even a good "amateur" genealogist, and I'm going to defer to Harry Hogan as the "expert" in the area I'm about to address. First, James Madison Cloud was my gggrandfather. He was one of at least three sons of Isaac Cloud, Jr., b. ca 1787 (George, b. 1810; James Madison, b. 1816; and Benjamin Franklin, b. 1832. Family stories suggest another, Francis Marion Cloud, who "moved to Texas after the Civil War."). This data came from Ray Hunt (deceased) who did extensive work on Isaac's forebears and descendants, including extensive census and land record searches, as well as conversations with grandchildren of James Madison Cloud. Ray asserted that Isaac, Jr.'s father was Isaac Sr. Isaac Sr. was listed in the SC census in 1790; however, he lived in Rutherford Co, NC less than a mile norfth of the SC line and Ray believes the census taker was from SC and counted him in that census. The 1784 tax rolls for Surry Co., NC showed Isaac Sr. with 1 male over 21, 3 males under 21, and 2 females. The 1782 tax rolls showed Joseph Cloud 8, Isaac Cloud of VA, and William Cloud of VA. Ray believed that Isaac Sr. had these children: Isaac Jr., b. 1787; Jesse; John; Jeremiah; and possibly, Joel. James Madison Cloud left TN in 1868, financially broke after the Civil War, with his wife Margaret Drummond King whom he married in 1838 in Murray Co, GA, to go to Louisiana to "be near relatives." While in Rapides Parish, LA in 1868, he caught fever, died, and "had to be taken to higher ground to be buried." His wife and the kids headed back to TN. The winter was cold, and they were all sick when they reached Scott Co, MS, where a Mary "Granny" McGowan took them in and probably saved their lives. When spring arrived, they stayed in MS. (Side comment: Before the trip to LA, James and his family lived in McMinn and Polk Counties, TN, and was reported to go back and forth between TN and GA.) Questions for the experts: Was the mysterious Jeremiah, b. 1784 who married Elizabeth and for whom everyone is searching, a son of Isaac Sr. (see paragraph 3, above)? If so, he would have been a brother of Isaac Jr. and an uncle of James Madison Cloud. Jeremiah's children would have been first cousins of James Madison Cloud. Further, could the family stories of a Francis Marion Cloud being a son of Isaac Jr. who went to Texas after the Civil War be confused with a Francis Marion Cloud who was in fact a son of Jeremiah and therefore a first cousin of James Madison Cloud - and perhaps the relative they were going to LA to be near? And are these relatives the ones in LA about whom the following message and several related messages have been exchanged in the past couple of weeks? Sic 'em experts, and let us have your thoughts. Al Cloud. RAYMOND SHIRLEY SR. [email protected] Why Wait? Move to EarthLink.