Good Morning Gang, I have copies of wills here, the name starts out Faries, then through the document it changes to Ferris, or Faris and the signer puts his name with Faries.....other folks wrote the wills as dictated back then. They were called "Burgesses" or "Town Solicitors", some were lawyers. I also see that one of the s's is formed like an f....which is how they wrote the double ss in those days. They had very flambouant handwriting and it is interesting to see just how they handled things. (difficult to read, until you get the hang of it) so it is anyones guess until verified. I was told, when I first started out with the research, that names were spelled all different ways, and shortened for naturalization. Also that you looked before, as well as after the date found....if you were researching as they could be anywhere in there. In my family bible, whoever entered the information, entered it wrong. The birthdate and place were wrong. (If parents did not read and write, when children went to school they entered information) so the possibilities are endless. We are finding information incorrect on tomb stones! Who would have ever thought that would happen!!!! Having that 1890 census would be the answer for all of us! Shame it burned. Tax records, deeds, church records, and the like are all we can hope for to fill in the blanks. Please don't forget to check and see if the newspaper of the time is on microfilm anywhere, you can research your dates from the paper and see what information is listed in the articles. Wills are great, if they made one.... Gail and I found a connection to the Ferris group in early 1600's in Conn. (I had ruled out the Mayflower research!) They came in from England, but started in Scotland then Ireland. Some of them moved down to Delaware, and from there some of them moved to South Carolina and everywhere else. I found some who came into Maryland, to pay for crimes they commited in the mother land. (Like stealing a sheep!) I am tracking the shipping trade of the times, and there was a major port in New Castle on the Delaware. (that sounds so cool!) Ever hear of "Black Beard" the Pirate? Yep, New Castle DE. Some of the Ferris boys were captains, found one that....the Pirates took his ship and he went after them and got his ship back and took their ship! It is all unfolding in a very interesting way. Also consider the work! Follow the ore mines, silver and gold mines, mills (wool, steel, etc.) railroads, and highways. (The Irish built most of our highways!) Stonemasions, blacksmiths, carriage makers, furniture makers (We have Faries Windsor Chairs!). We have the Ferris Wheel and popcorn made for the Queen (Conn group) as with so many others, our Faries families were very adept at what they did! Yes, the slaves did take the master's names or parts of them. It is really something, we had slaves down south and up north there were Faries boys who were involved in the underground railroad to help the slaves get to Canada....and freedom. We have war heros, and pioneers, writers and printers. History will give you many new clues and rewards......:] The more you research, the more amazed you will become..... Our family, like all the other families to the New Land, were really something else......:] Carole I am still looking for that Delaware Triangle spot. I thought that it was in my bookmarks, but alas.....tis now where to be found.