Am searching (in vain so far) for Compton ancestors who were in Gaston County in North Carolina. Seems as though the children were orphans in 1850 and were living with a William N. Carpenter in Gaston County North Carolina. the oldest boy was named Martin V, and he was age 13 in 1850. the others were: Mary, age 11; William Albert, age 4; Sarah Jane, age 2; Margaret, age 9, and Elizabeth, age 6. However, since names were often written down by census taker from verbal instructions, the name Carpenter could have been Compton misunderstood. In 1860 I'm not sure where they were living, but believe they were in Witts Springs, Arkansas. Martin was then age 23, a farmer, and head of the household. Mary, age 21; Margaret, age 19, William, age 15, Sarah Jane, age 13, were in Arkansas but Elizabeth was living with a Nancy Lag back in North Carolina as she was pregnant out of wedlock with a boy she named Martin Luther Compton, who was my grandfather. (This tidbit came from the LDS library information, and where they got it, I do not know for they do not seem to have any other data on this family) I do not know who the parents of the children were, and since children were not named beyond 1850, cannot find out. If anybody has any information, I would appreciate having it. >From what I have been able to surmise orphan boys were sometimes hired to do farm labor, but I can't figure out why all the children were with him, and can't figure out who this William N. Carpenter is. The census does not mention a female in the census. If any one has information, I would appreciate it and would love to find some of my "cousins."