Hello all, Will apologize in advance for the length of this one, but I couldn't find a way to condense it; anyway, I have a new theory regarding the maternal ancestry of Wm Coats of Rowan Co. NC. As you read this, please note the names that I cite in all caps. Maybe coincidence is working again, but I don't think so. Would appreciate comments and help with any details that have escaped me so far. 1st: I think it is generally accepted by those working in the Rowan Co. NC Coat(e)s group that Wm Coats of Rowan had a brother named Henry "Cotes"(d.c. 1790)and probably a sister, Louise Rene Coats(who married a Jacob Sutton). And there may well have been others that I can't absolutely place in the tree yet, such as Benjamin Coats. 2d: Henry "Cotes"by wife Sussanah Elliott had at least one son, ALLEN/ALLIN Coates, b.c. 1770. Louis Rene Coats and Jacob Sutton had a son James WILEY Sutton, and Wm Coats of Rowan had a number of sons, including WILEY Coates, who married a Sarah ADAMS. 3rd: Noting the names ALLIN and WILEY, I think that it is at least possible, if not probable, that Henry "Cotes" and Wm Coats above were the sons of Wilson William Coats(b.c. 1725, d.?)and that his wife was likely ________WILEY/WYLY. Here's why I think this. I found a Thomas Willey/Wyly/Wiley b.c. 1703 Ireland, who was a Quaker and a member of New Garden MM in PA before 1754. It also appears that this Thomas was the son of an ALLIN/ALLEN WILEY(b.c. 1670 and d.c. 28 Mar 1748), a member of the Kennet MM in PA(Chester Co.?). However, he is variously styled as being of Cecil Co. MD and/or Chester Co. PA. Allin Wiley was married c. 1694 to a SARAH ADAMS(b.c. 1661-1675, prob. in Westmeath, Ireland, d. 16 Oct 1706 in PA/MD. I naturally am wondering if she is somehow related to the Sarah Adams, who, at a much later date, married Wiley Coates in NC. Maybe coincidence, maybe not. 4th: Thomas Wiley(b.c. 1703 and liv. in PA bef. 1754)apparently married in 1729 to a Rachel Rowland in PA or MD, but removed with a certificate from New Garden MM to Cane Creek MM(NC)on 10-05-1754. His wife Rachel and one unnamed dau. were apparently with him. However, by 4-3-1762, Thomas was disowned by Cane Creek MM and was apparently never taken back "into the fold", so to speak as there is no further record of him among the Quakers in NC. I also noted that the western edge of the Cane Creek MM "jurisdiction"(if that is the right word)was very, very close to Davidson Co. NC(Old Rowan), and since I haven't found any other Wiley/Wyly families in the same proximity to the Coat(e)s families in Rowan, I am wondering if this Thomas might be the father of the wife of Wm Coats???? At this point, I am still working from the presumption that Wilson Wm Coats and son Wm were originally in or near Edgecombe Co. NC before moving west into Old Rowan. 5th: However, despite all of the above, I must state that my theory is not without some hazards. Thomas Wiley may have died before 1772 as a Rachel Wyly was disowned by Cane Creek MM in 1772 for marrying a Benj. Few, a non-Quaker; she may have been the widow of Thomas or his daughter or neither. If she was the daughter, then I am in trouble already. In addition, the Cane Creek MM records also show a Elizabeth Wyly SHARP being disowned in 1763 for marrying out of unity. Similarly in 1772, a Ruth Wiley was disowned as well as a Wm Wiley. I don't if or how these last three are connected to Thomas. Also, Thomas Wyly had these brothers: Wm(1707-1775) John(b.c. 1695) Joseph(1697-1751) And I have not yet traced their travels or their immediate descendants. They may have gone to NC as well or they may have stayed put or moved elsewhere. Should add here that Thomas Wyly also had three sisters: Mary, Margaret, and MARTHA, which brings me to my next point. 6th:Just to round out my idea, I should add that ALLIN WYLY/WILEY(c.1670-1748)was, per info found on the Wiley list in rootsweb, the son of a HENRY WEILLY(b.c. 1632, Gloucester, England, d.c. 2 July 1690 Ireland)by his wife, MARTHA_________. Now from this point, I am going to become even more theoretical, but bear with me while I sort it out.... I think that the Martha above is identical to a MARTHA ALEN, who is shown in the IGI as having been born c. 21 Sept 1636 in Dublin, Ireland, and while I may be making a very long shot here, she MAY have been the daughter of a JAMES ALEN, b.c. 1617 St. Wolstans, Co. Kildare, Ireland, the son of Nicholas Alen, b.c. 1597 at St. Wolstan's by his wife, Aminet Barnewall(of the Barnewalls of Crickstown, Meath). And James Alen apparently married Ann Dillon, dau. of James Dillon, 1st Earl of Roscommon(liv. 1622). Now while I may be wrong about Martha ALEN being the dau. of James, etc., of St. Wolstan's, Co. Kildare, I think that the discovery of the ALLIN WILEY(1670-1748)provides if not a definitive answer to how the names ALLEN/ALLIN and WILEY managed to make their way into the Coat(e)s family in Old Rowan Co. NC. If anyone can throw more light on Wiley/Wyly/Willey families in or near Old Rowan Co. NC or, on Allin Wiley or any of his immediate descendants, we might be able to turn my theory into something better(I hope)and piece together the rest of the Coat(e)s line before they arrived in Old Rowan. For the moment, I am still thinking that Wm Coats of Rowan was a grandson of the John Pomery Coats of Pasquotank Co. NC, but I also know that the iron-clad proof for this is still not there. Am hoping John D. Coates is still monitoring the list as this theoretical reconstruction involves his line as well, and I was hoping he might be able to criticize or see something else that I've missed. Regards to all, Larry