Earl, Thanks for your response. I am looking forward to my visit east. Of course, time is not on my side, but I would at the very least like to look upon the ground that Joel and his sons worked along Irby's Creek. Would you have any idea where I could get a map of that area? I have called the courthouse and they have no idea how to secure a map that would show this area and I am not sure what agency to contact. How is your book coming? I am anxious to get a look at it. I have so many unanswered questions about that particular group of Elams. As I have studied the Mecklenburg county deeds, I have discovered overlapping names as witnesses to sales of land tracts. I cannot help but believe that there is a relationship between the Charlotte county Elams and the Mecklenburg county Elams. I also believe that they may have purchased land back and forth between the two counties. I have no proof but just a hunch. I will be happy to keep you posted on what I may find out. I am particularly interested in a land transaction between my Peter Elam and two gentlemen from Charlotte county. I suspect that there may be a court document or two to go along with this deed. It appears that he put all he owned up as security for a debt he incurred with a man from Charlotte county. What I do not know is how it all ended. I will indeed look up Stuart and Margaret Elam. My brother's name is Stewart. What a coincidence. Great hearing from you, Kent At 11:01 AM 5/17/99 -0400, you wrote: >Kent, I have researched in Charlotte, Mecklenburg, Lunenburg, Prince >George, Amelia, and a few other counties in VA, primarily in court house >records. I have not searched cemeteries. When in Mecklenburg Co., you >should visit Stuart and Margaret Elam in Chase City. They operate a >jewelry store there. He was born in the co about 1920, but when I visited >there in 1997 he had no information on generations beyond his grandfather. >I have not connected him, therefore, to Joel or any of the other Elams who >may have been related to Joel. From the records it is my understanding >that Joel lived on Irby's (Yerby on some modern USGS maps) Creek, a branch >of the Bluestone. William, Edward, and sons of their sons also lived on the >Bluestone, but probably in what is now Charlotte Co. I would be interested >in knowing if you find graves of Solomon Harmon Elam and his descendants or >an Alexander Elam who died in 1789 and who I believe was a brother of Joel, >William, and Edward. I will be away from my computer from about June 4 to >the end of July, traveling in the West, but will check back with you. >Thanks. Earl Elam > >