The followig is a copy of a letter I sent to Brian. I mean't to send it to the list. Any comments would be appreciated. John Brown " In about 1818 my GGF Ephraim Taylor was born in Hempstead, NY. He supposedly ran away from home at an early age and became a cooks assistant on a schooner and sailed around the Cape three times (hearsay from my Grand Mother Elizabeth Taylor Brown born in Orange Mills in 1865). I find Ephraim as an election official in "Washington Camp", Mosquito County, in 1845 state elections in the company of Henry Washington' surveyor for the State. I suspect this was on the St. Johns River near Astor. He then appeared in the 1850 census in JAX as a laborer, then in 1855 he bought land in Duval county (BLM Records); 1860 census he was in Palatka as a raftsman, 1861, age 45 he joined the CSA 2 Florida Infantry in Jacksonville , was wounded in Battle of Gaines Mill in 1862, mustered out in Julyof 1862 at Fredrick City, MD. He next appears in 1870 census in Orange Mills with wife Mary Charlotte and two daughters age1 and 5. Wife died about 1873, He left one daughter with Squire Tenney in Federal Point and the other with Duncan McBride in Barberville(Volusia County) He suppossedly went to Tick Island near Barberville. He signed land records in 1875 in Putnam Conty. His oldest daughter was in apprenticeship as of April 1873, wit Tenney. His other daughter was in the 1880 census with Duncan McBride as an adopted daughter. She ended up in Federal Point in the 1885 State census with her sister Elizabeth living in the Tenney household. From then on I think I know their lives quite well. My Question: How can I trace Ephraims trail when he was with Henry Washington. I suspect that they were good friends as there are two creeks near Tick Island name Eph Creek and Taylor Creek. I suspect that he lived in that vicinity early in his Florida days. He may have married an Indian. I think he met Washington in North Florida when Washington surveyed Amelia Island about 1840. Washington surveyed most of central Florida also. I have a story of Washington written by a researcher for the state of Florida, but it doesn't give many details. I wold like to find his daily journal or a diary. Can you make any suggestions on these. Also I'm curious abou the time from 1862 when he left the army and 1870 when he showed up in Orange Mills census. Any suggestions on any of this would be appreciated. I have a copy of the orignal cemetery records (back and white) of Federal Point Cemetery, the record books of the Federal Point Literary and Social Clubs (1906-1929) lots of names, My grandfather Charles W. Brown's early business records (1890-1929) I would like to put these in some archives somewhere. Any suggestions? Well, I've taken enough of your time. Any thing I can do for you, let me know. I will be in Florida from May23 to June 8. I'm going to the P.K.Yonge Library in Gainesvile and also the St. Augustine Historical Society. I'll be staying in St. Augustine, Federal Point and Orlando." Thanks. John Brown