In a message dated 3/30/04 10:03:01 AM Eastern Standard Time, jclarke@rose.net writes: In Jefferson there are few if any records before 1850, as I understand it. I think a lot of these are re-constructed records and not originals. I am sorry, Mr Clarke. You must have misunderstood . Why don't you take a trip and visit courthouse in Louisville and see what they have there. The will of Brittain Smith, probated in 1803 is there. I have seen it, my two daughters have seen it, my husband has seen it and so have many others, I imagine. It was there in 1994. It was crumbling. It was an original. I would hope they have put it away in a safe place to keep it from crumbling further. There is nothing "cobbled up" about my Smiths. I am afraid you just don't like that will because it proves that your suppositions are not correct. When I visited the courthouse there, the people were very pleasant and helpful. All the records didn't burn. Why on earth would anyone want to RECONSTRUCT a will to show they were related to some North Carolina FARMER? Linda Luther