David - I'm descended from Rutherford/Cleveland County Hamricks, and I can tell you that my grandparents firmly believed they were descended from German immigrants (Hans George). This wasn't a belief they picked up from whatever contact they had with SC Jones, who was a distant cousin, but rather family knowledge passed down from their parents and grandparents. Knowing my family, I trust from the stories passed down from generation to generation, had there been a link back to Ireland on the Hamrick side of our family, it would have been passed on in family stories. The children of Hans George that came to North Carolina per my family's records were George (m. Susanna Blanton) and Moses Richard (m. Mary Bridges). I think both George and Moses Richard have been said to be descendants of Patrick by others on this list - if there is anyone who can point me to some documentation (other than just a web site reference) on this I would be most interested. Thanks! Kathy