Hi Mary and all, Mary, I'm glad your latest e-mail ("Today's discussion") included Kay Wood's message, because I didn't receive it. Her salutation sounds as if she sent it to the whole list. Is that your server acting up? I have a couple of thoughts about those baptism records. 1. There are (at least) two opportunities for mechanical errors in them: (a) They were microfilmed as typescript. The person transcribing them could have misread the handwriting. Can we obtain a copy of the original to see the names and dates for ourselves? (b) I could have made errors in copying them from the microfilm or in entering them into the computer. Does anyone know how to get a copy of the original baptismal record? 2. If the name I asked about earlier--Louis HERCHES / HERDES / HARTIS--is in fact a "HARKEY" (and not a HARTIS), isn't it possible that "Louis" is the man's middle name? The Index to the 1800 NC Census (comp. E. P. Bentley, Geneal. Publ. 1977) lists FOUR Martin HARKEYs in Cabarrus Co. "Louis" might be the name used by one Martin HARKEY to distinguish him from the other three Martin HARKEYs in the county. I'm not claiming that that's what happened or that it's even likely, but it's a possibility. 3. Kay Woods has introduced an exciting new wrinkle--that Elizabeth, the wife of John HARKEY (d 1821, oldest son of Martin), had the maiden name of HARTIS. I have never seen a last name for her. I hope Betty Jo Beck, who sent it to Kay, will be able to give the source. That would be a big step forward. It would also help explain the HARTIS in the baptismal records--making Louis a member not of John's family but of his wife Elizabeth's. Alma Roark Johnson [email protected] P.S. Going back to the 1800 NC census--here are all the HARKEY heads of household: Cabarrus Co. (roll 31: Jacob (p 708), Martin (p 708), Martin again (p 708), Martin again (p 709, Martin again (p 712) Mecklenburg Co. (roll 33): HARKEY: 604 John (p 604), John again (p 604) Henry (p 606) arj ====================