Bebe, Isn't the WWW wonderful for genealogists! Here is a brief Whilden background: Gabriel Whilden (also spelled Whelden, Whillden, Whildon, Wheldon, Wheeldon, Wheelden, Wheilden, Whelden, Whilding, Wheelding.....etc.) was born in England c1600. It is unknown when he came to America but there is evidence of him as a settler in Yarmouth on Cape Code in 1638. He was a town officer "surveyor of highways" in 1641-42 & 1647. In 1648 he sold land in Yarmouth and moved to first to Lynn, Massachusetts and then to Malden (today a suburb of Boston) and was believed to possibly have been a whaler. He was married twice, first wife's name is unknown; second wife's name was Margaret. He had at least two sons: John (c.1630-1701), Henry (c.1625-1694); two daughters: Catherine (c.1623-1689), Ruth (c1627-1673); there are some who believe there was a third son, Ralph. Gabriel left a will dated 11 Dec 1653 and died in January 1654. Our Whilden line comes from Gabriel's first son, John. John was probably born in England c.1630. About 1653 he married Mary Folland (Holland), d/o Thomas Folland of Yarmouth. They had 3 sons, Joseph (c1656-1725) who would establish the Whilden line in New Jersey; John (c1655-1706) who established the line in South Carolina and Thomas (c1670-75). John & Mary's second son, John was married in Salem, Mass. in 1681, his wife's name is unknown. Baptism records in Salem show they had at least 7 children: Gershom (1681-1695), John (c.1683), Mary (c1687), Jonathan (c1689), Joseph (1693), Samuel (c1694) and Elisha (c1695). In 1695 John and family left Salem with a 52-person colony that later shipwrecked near Cape Fear, NC in 1695. The colony was brought to Seewee (northeast of Charleston) by Gov. John Archdale of the Province of Carolina. This is where the Wappetaw Congregation Church was founded and where some of our Whilden ancestors are buried. Jonathan Whilden (c.1683) married Elizabeth Dubose, d/o Isaac & Suzanne Couillandeau Dubose, about 1721. Upon his older brother's death, Jonathan became the guardian for John's son, John Whilden (III). Jonathan and Elizabeth had 7 children: John (c1731), Jonathan Jr. (c1722), Joseph (c1724), Elisha (c1729), Elizabeth (1726), Suzannah (1788) and Mary (1736). The will of John Whilden [II] cites five daughters, including Mary, who married about 1730 John Dubose (born ca 1694/1799), a Santee River planter and brother of Elizabeth Dubose Whilden. Most of this information comes from a cousin in Islandton SC and a manuscript written by C. Michael Harrington who has written several articles on Whildens in the War Between the States. You can find these articles here: http://www.awod.com/gallery/probono/cwchas/bio.html Hope this helps, Ann in GA