Dear Mr. Hargraves, When I saw you were confused about the whereabouts of your Robert Harris of Benton Co., AL, I figured I would try to help you solve some problems. Here are some of my thoughts about some further research. Alabama was formed from Mississippi and you may have to do some research in Mississippi. Furthermore, I suspect your Robert may have been *hiding* in another jurisdiction. For one thing, the Family History Library catalog - a PLACE search - reveals that for Benton Co., AL, you have to search Calhoun Co. >From the FHL catalog entry for Calhoun, Alabama [leave out the word county--I found out the hard way] Calhoun County was created by act of the state general assembly on 18 December 1832 from land ceded to the state by the Creek Indians. Originally known as Benton County, named changed to Calhoun County 29 January 1858. County seat: Jacksonville (1833-1895) and Anniston (1895-present). You might check with Alice Eicholz's book called The Red Book, which is the source of much of the PLACE descriptions in the FHL catalog. (Frequently, you can find this book in the Reference section of your public library.) This is what the FHL catalog says about the formation of the state of Alabama Alabama became a territory in 1817 and a state in 1819. A good many Georgians did go to Alabama but probably first to Louisiana, parts of which were called Mississippi Territory, and then to Mississippi. (My Georgia folks migrated there from Granville Co., NC after the Revolution. The sons of one of these families migrated to Mississippi Territory, which was really Louisiana. Two of them fought in the Battle of New Orleans--1815, if I remember correctly.) Have you found this gentleman listed in the Bureau of Land Management land patents? You might list Alabama first, but also try Mississippi and Louisiana. _http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/_ (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/) Click on the first tab *land patents* and do some searching. You may strike out of course--that is the problem with the surname Harris [and similar common names, of which I have a plentitude in my lineage]. Why am I telling you all this--which you probably have already done!!!??? Because, I find one of the most common problems is we are looking in the wrong jurisdiction!!! At least for the time period when we have verified our people were living there.. Although many genealogical lecturers pooh-pooh old county histories, some of them are fairly accurate (factual). What you have to do is to verify each statement. If the interviewee is a grandchild, and one of the younger grandchildren, he may get things all mixed up. But, if the interviewee is the old-timer himself, hope that he is a blabber-mouth. Example: I was searching a *burned* county in Illinois and stubbing my toe because the first book of deeds for that county no longer exists--only an index, or so a professional told me [ after taking my considerable amount of money]. I found a long bio in an old county history of a man mentioned in several letters to my great-grandfather dated before his death in 1881. The old Illinois pioneer described his family's migration to Illinois and told a lot of family history. His first wife [he had three, and he named all the living children and stepchildren] was probably the sister of my GGF!!! Had he not been so garralous, I may still be stubbing my toe!!! I wish you luck. I think you may have to expand your research field. E.W.Wallace Take a look at this URL - I think it is supposed to be subscription, but by changing the state names, I am generally able to access this URL _http://www.myalabamagenealogy.com/al_records.htm_ (http://www.myalabamagenealogy.com/al_records.htm) (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/) Calhoun County was created by act of the state general assembly on 18 December 1832 from land ceded to the state by the Creek Indians. Originally known as Benton County, named changed to Calhoun County 29 January 1858. County seat: Jacksonville (1833-1895) and Anniston (1895-present). **************New MapQuest Local shows what's happening at your destination. Dining, Movies, Events, News & more. Try it out! (http://local.mapquest.com/?ncid=emlcntnew00000001)