Dear Mary, I will try to sort out the date confusion in your letter to me. I just cut and pasted your note to me on this e-mail to save time. Look below the following note for my explanation. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Subj: Re: [DAVIDSON-L] William Davidson From:    rmbonsal@vzinet.com (Mary Bonsal) Whoa!!! wait a minute... you stated that William R. Davidson was born 19 Sep 1835 in Georgia and died 29 Jul 1891 in Georgia. David Davidson wasn't born until 1808??????? William Davidson that married Elizabeth Mayes was a son of John Davidson and Tabitha.  William and brother Samuel both married an Elizabeth Mayes, cousins and went to Illinois. Their brother John Davidson died in Jasper County, Georgia. Their sister, Mary Davidson m. Gilbert Shaw, brother Joseph Davidson m. Mary Park, sister Jean m. James Park, Elizabeth m. John Leeper, Mary B. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Mary, There are just so many Williams, John's etc. All of the above information is correct. It goes like this: John Davidson (1761 - 1856) was born in PA to John and Tabitha (?) Davidson. He moved with his parents to SC as a young boy -- he fought in the Revolution -- then moved to Georgia after the war. John died in Jasper County, Georgia at the age of 95. John had several brothers and sisters. Two of his brothers were Samuel (1774 - 1843) and William Davidson (1776 - 1837). Samuel and William were both born in Union District, SC -- married the Mayes cousins -- moved to Illinois after the Revolution. John Davidson (1761 - 1856) of Jasper County had a son named David Davidson who was born 1808 in Georgia. David Davidson had a son named William R. Davidson who was born September 19, 1835 in Georgia and died July 29, 1891 in Georgia or Alabama. (At least until the time of his death, William R. was in Georgia. He may have died at the home of one of his children in Chamber's County, Alabama. I believe that Chamber's County, Alabama is near where he lived in Georgia.) Bottom line -- John Davidson of Jasper County had a father named John -- a brother named William -- a son named David -- and a grandson named William R. Davidson. There are two separate William Davidsons that you mentioned above. That is one reason I always use the middle initial R (as W.R. Davidson of Georgia did). I hope this helps explain why you thought the dates were wrong. If not, write to me and I will send you a personal e-mail and we will work through it. Thanks, again, for your great work. Sincerely, Anna Gayle