Branch ELAM is not a direct ancestor of mine, but I do have a little information on him. Birth dates and death dates below are approximate. Descendants of Branch Elam 1 Branch ELAM 1752 - 1826 +Dinah ELAM 1752 - 2 Phebe Baugh ELAM abt 1784 - +Thomas GODSEY abt 1779 - [Phebe married Thomas in 1800. Branch Elam consented to his daughter's marriage. Surety was Berkeley Elam. Witness was Francis Cheatham. Rev. Charles Forsee, minister of Skinquarter Baptist Church, married the couple. His marriage return refers to the bride as Phebe Branch Elam.] 3 Nancy GODSEY 1810 - +Mackness BLANKENSHIP 1791 - 3 Lavenia GODSEY 1814 - +Bolling R. FARMER 1814 - 1850 4 Harriet FARMER 1836 - +William LYNCH 1829 - 3 Levi GODSEY 1804 - +Mary BLANKENSHIP 1810 - 1842 4 George GODSEY 1832 - 4 Robert GODSEY 1833 - 4 Mary J. GODSEY 1836 - 4 Branch GODSEY 1839 - 4 Alexander GODSEY 1841 - 4 Richard W. GODSEY 1842 - 2 Cinderilla ELAM 1805 - +Pleasant HIX 1805 - [Cinderella married Pleasant in 1826. As Cinderilla's father Branch Elam was deceased, her guardians, Molly and Josiah Stringer, consented to her marriage. Thomas Roberts and John B. Taylor were witnesses.] Records from the War of 1812 include BRANCH ELAM 4th REGIMENT VIRGINIA MILITIA. [I do not know whether that was this Branch Elam, nor whether the National Archives can provide additional information.] Knorr's compilation of marriages in Chesterfield County VA lists 2 additional marriages for Branch Elam, but whether he is the same person I do not know: in 1801 to Elizabeth Flournoy and in 1809 to Mary Snellings. The latter marriage required the permission of the bride's father. Danny Richards <danrich@ix.netcom.com> says Branch Elam was the son of Robert Elam (1684-1753), the son of Gilbert Elam Jr. (1659-1697). Danny says Branch's marriage to Elizabeth Flournoy produced Hodijah Elam (1803-1883), who married Mary Davenport and fathered Francis Marion Elam (1836-1900). Benjamin B. Weisiger's list of marriages in Chesterfield Co. says Francis W. DUNNAVANT married Michall ELAM in 1823. Richard and Daniel Cheatham were witnesses. For Chesterfield County families, it makes sense to search the archives of the Chesterfield County List (VACHESTE) and Virginia List (as well as the ELAM List's archives). To search a list, go to http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl and enter the name of the list. The next screen will let you enter keywords to search each year's records. You asked about WALTHALL-ELAM marriages. Knorr's book of Chesterfield Co. marriages lists the marriage of Francis WALTHALL and Phebe ELAM in 1801 (no month or day); married by Rev. Charles Forsee of Skinquarter Baptist Church. Also, on 7 Dec. 1797, Richard WALTHALL m. Winefred WALTHALL, dau. of Richard Walthall, who consented. Surety was Leonard Cheatham, Jr. Rev. Nathan Anderson, Methodist. "Branch" was a common surname in Chesterfield County and may indicate some connection to that family, but I do not know the identity of Branch's parents. I know of no HODGES in Chesterfield Co. Laura Keyes Perry keyesperry@aol.com