I am hoping someone on list may be able to help me solve my mystery. Dr Richard Lingan HALL who died in 1774 in Fauquier Co VA. He had a sister MARY who was the wife of Compton Williamson and resided in Calvert Co MD in 1772. Richard and Mary's MOTHER was named Martha. What was her surname? She died about November 1772 in Fauquier CO VA. Martha married #1___Hall her second husband was Richard Hampton, who died in 1766 in Fauquier Co VA. Richard Hampton was the father of my ancestor WILLIAM HAMPTON who married Ann Minter in1760 in Fauquier and then went to VA. Was MARTHA HAMPTON, the widow HALL, William's mother? Or the mother of any of Richard Hampton's children? Richard Hampton had the following children named in his 1766 will: William (who had a son Richard) Richard JR (who had a son GALE) Sarah Martha Elizabeth (she married in 1772 James Slaughter...Dr RL Hall was her guardian) Richard Hampton's 1766 will is ambiguous in its terms of defining if MARTHA HALL HAMPTON was the mother of any of the children. In his bequests to his children: " I give my daughter Elizabeth Hampton (property) after the marriage or death of MY WIFE" He left land to his daughter Sarah Hampton with no restriction whatsoever placed on the life or death or remarriage of his wife Martha He also left Sarah slaves "after the death or remarriage of my wife" Ditto his daughter Martha He refers to legacies to his sons William and Richard in the same way. My point being, he always referred to Martha as "my wife" and never as "her (or his) mother". I am trying to determone if there is any truth to the unsubstantiated rumor that Richard Hampton was married before to ALICE and that she was in fact the mother of his children. Thank you, anyone, for any help at all. Regina Roper