Listers who visit <http://www.lulu.com> www.lulu.com and put CARDEN in the search box will see two new books, CARDEN IN AMERICA compiled by Chuck Carden THE CARDEN DNA PROJECT by Arthur Carden (don't buy them yet - wait about a month until revised editions are available!) While working on these books I have been struck by the need to have a brief name for each branch, to make references to them easier. Almost all the branches in England and Ireland have names based on where their oldest known ancestor lived, and I would like to use this as a basis for proposing names for American branches as follows. RAPPAHANNOCK (for Old Rappahannock County, Virginia). To quote Chuck: "Robert Carden (The First) born after 1635 in Virginia; died after 18 Feb 1684/85 in old Rappahannock County, Virginia. He married about 1652 in Virginia ." I am reluctant to suggest the familiar name GOOCHLAND as he never lived there. I am reluctant to suggest SPEEDWELL as it is by no means certain that his father arrived aboard the Speedwell from England. COFFEE (for Coffee County, Tennessee). To quote Chuck: "James J. Carden, born 1756 in Goochland County, Virginia; died after 1842 in Manchester, Coffee County, Tennessee; buried in Carden Cemetery, Manchester, Coffee County, Tennessee. He married on 20 Jan 1784 in Granville County, (VA) North Carolina Elizabeth Fuller, ." BOTETOURT (for Botetourt County, Virginia). To quote Chuck: "Joseph Carden was listed as living in Botetourt County, Virginia. in 1803 (prior to 1803 there were no Carden's listed). . In 1816, Joseph was still listed on the Botetourt Land Records. In 1817 & 1818, his sons, Joseph, Allen, & Isaac were still listed in Botetourt County, Virginia, but were now living in Monroe County, Virginia. (Monroe County, Virginia was formed partly out of Botetourt County, Virginia.) Joseph's will was dated 2 June 1817 in Monroe County ." Perhaps MONROE would be more memorable (and more easily spelled). MONTICELLO (Jefferson's estate). To quote Chuck: "Youen Carden was a miller who worked and resided at Monticello from 1808 to 1824." This seems a more memorable and evocative name than any of the other places where Youen, or whatever he was called, lived. SHELBY (for Shelby County, Alabama). To quote Chuck: "James Harvey Reuben Carden, born 5 Apr Charles S9 Jun 1899 in Shelby County, Alabama; buried in Four Mile Baptist Church Cemetery, Shelby County, Alabama. He married on 2 Oct 1839 in Shelby, Shelby County, Alabama Mary Elizabeth Dean , born about 1816 in Tennessee; died 1 Aug 1894 in Shelby, Shelby County, Alabama, daughter of Jacob Dean" SPARTANBURG (for Spartanburg County, South Carolina). To quote Chuck: "Jordan Carden , born about 1779 in South Carolina; died 1826 in Reform, Pickens County, Alabama, son of (---) Carden . He married about 1803 in Spartanburg County, South Carolina Hettie Ann Watson ." PICKENS or REFORM might be just as good, but I like the sound of Spartanburg. The names Pickens and Spartanburg crop up many times in this branch of the family. YORKSHIRE (for Yorkshire, England). To quote Chuck: "William Carden, born 1795 in Yorkshire, England; died 1881 in Middletown, Des Moines County, Iowa ." CARTER (for Carter County Tennessee). To quote Chuck: "Ancil (or Ansel) Godfrey Carden , born 1796 in North Carolina; died 1 Jun 1854 in Carter County, Tennessee. He married on 4 Feb 1823 in Carter County, Tennessee Susan Humphries ." I was tempted to suggest ANSEL as this name appears so often in this branch. POWHATAN (for Powhatan County, Virginia. "Robert Carden , born 10 Feb 1776 in Powhatan County, Virginia; died 18 Jan 1835 in Shelby County, Alabama. He married Nancy Haynes ." (Perhaps one day the POWHATAN and SHELBY branches will be amalgamated). BRECKINRIDGE (for Breckinridge County, Kentucky). To quote Chuck: "Samuel W. Carden, born 28 Apr 1811 in Green County, Kentucky; died 7 Jun 1903 in Ohio County, Kentucky; buried in Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Fordsville, Ohio County, Kentucky. He married in Kentucky Joanna T. Wilkerson , born 2 Mar 1829 in Grayson County, Kentucky; died 29 Jun 1890 in Ohio County, Kentucky; buried in Pleasant Grove Cemetery, Fordsville, Ohio County, Kentucky. . Samuel W. and family resided in Breckinridge County, Kentucky." WAKE (for Wake County, North Carolina). To quote Chuck: "William Carden, born about 1730; died before 2 Jun 1777 in Wake County, North Carolina. . Wake County was formed out of Johnston, Cumberland and Orange Counties in 1771" NODAWAY (for Nodaway County, Missouri). To quote Chuck: "John Carden, born 1800 in Virginia. . Children of John Carden and Mary "Polly" Moore were as follows: John Warner Carden , born 11 Oct 1826 in Orange County, North Carolina; died 21 Jun 1908 in Quitman, Nodaway County, Missouri. . James Carden , born 3 May 1829 in North Carolina; died 7 Aug 1842 in North Carolina. . Joseph S. Carden , born 28 May 1832 in North Carolina; died 27 Jul 1868 in Nodaway County, Missouri." I have always preferred NODAWAY to ORANGE. Chuck approves of these names. Comments please! This is important as the names may be used for many years into the future. There are lots more branches of course, but those above feature in Chuck's book. If your own branch is not mentioned above, please post something about it and suggest a name, Maybe I'll suggest some more before too long. Please react soon as I want to use the names in the next editions of the books. Arthur Carden of Horsham, England (with apologies for my nerve in trying to bully my American cousins)