This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Thomas, Welch, Henderson, Whitehead, Dodd, Davidson, Loudermilk Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/3c.2ADE/8.21.1.1 Message Board Post: I am very much interested in the Thomas-Echols affair. My grandmother was Violet Thomas, daughter of Henry Louis Thomas, son of James Bartow Thomas, Jr., son of James Bartow Thomas, Sr. whose mother was Margaret Welch. Margaret bore JB, Sr. out of wedlock and gave him the surname Thomas. He was born in 1831 and in 1834 Margaret married Vincent Henderson in Habersham Co, GA. Hannah Thomas was Margaret's sister. Their maiden name was Welch and on every census beginning in 1840, Margaret & Hannah live in close proximity to each other. Hannah was the head of household beginning on the 1840 census all the way to 1870 when she was living in Darius Echols' household as his wife. My cousin Pat & I are desperately trying to find out why Margaret gave her son the surname Thomas. We thought maybe Hannah was married to a Thomas and Margaret lived with them and gave JB the Thomas surname. Any leads you can give me would be greatly appreciated.