List Members: I am still trying to identify the parents of my 2-great grandmother, Frances _?_ (Hatcher?)b. c. 1842 d. before 1880 m.c. 1864 James Whitlock, Jr. In the 1850 and 1860 census of Edgefield District, South Carolina, Frances was living in the household of Alfred Hatcher. What was her relationship to Alfred Hatcher? Was he her father or step-father or some other relation??? Was Susan_?_ Hatcher her mother, stepmother or other relation? I am still seeking additional information on Alfred Hatcher b.c. 1800 Edgefield District, South Carolina, son of John Hatcher, Sr. and Christian(a) _?_. I obtained the two documents I have transcribed below from loose papers in the Edgefield Equity Case files when I was in Edgefield last August. I only had about 30 minutes to flip through several files of original loose papers. In one, two or three instances there were numbered file folders listed in the index, but the folders were empty. The last numbered file in the equity court case index was one of the empty files. So I still don't know the outcome of the case or what happened to the Hatcher land that was the subject of the suit. The two documents below show that Alfred Hatcher died sometimes in August 1868. That Susan _?_ was his wife. That sometimes between August 1868 and April 1870, Susan _?_ Hatcher married Rice Swearingen. They still do not mention any children of Alfred Hatcher. The whole subject of the Equity Suit was that if Alfred had no children, the land left to Alfred by his father's (John, Sr.'s) will c. 1826 would revert back to Alfred's brother, John, and hence to John's heirs. There were several lists of the heirs of the brother, John, Jr., in the various equity case files/folders. One of John Jr.'s heirs were John and Frances Carpenter. I am interested in the identity of this John Carpenter. Again, as in the cases of Alfred's household, I think I am dealing with some scrambled census data. Did this John Carpenter marry two different women named Frances??? The first Frances would have been a Hatcher heir of John, Jr. who perhaps died young. The second Frances might have married c. 1870 to John Hatcher and was previously married to a _?_ Williams? Vivian Cates, Alto, Texas [Note-VTC-The following record is written in long hand like most of the early court records. This was a loose record in a numbered Equity Case File] South Carolina Edgefield County To the Probate Court To D L Turner Probate judge The humble petition of Alfred J Hughes respectfully showeth that Alfred Hatcher late of said county & State departed this life intestate on the day of August A D 1868 seized and possessed of a very small personal estate of not more than the value of Two Hundred Dollars and leaving as his his (sic) heirs at law his wife Susan Hatcher who has since intermarried with Rice Swearingen and his Brothers & Sisters, nephews & heirs whose names are unknown to your petitioner. Therefore your petitioner prays that the administration of the estate of the said Intestate may be committed to him upon the terms prescribed by law And your petitioner will ever pray and soforth N(?) G.(?) Wright(?) Atty Propetier(?) [Note-VTC-The following record is a preprinted form with the names, dates, county and signatures filled in. Administration Bond. Kirkwood & Co. Printers, Columbia, S. C. The State of South Caroline. Edgefield County KNOW ALL MEN BY THSES PRESENTS THAT WE, Alfred J. Hughes & James Hatcher are holden and firmly bound unto D. L Turner Esquire, Judge of Probate for the County of Edgefield in the full and just sum of Four Hundred -- Dollars to be paid to the said D L Turner or his successors, Judges of Probate of this County, or to their certain attorney or assigns. To which payment well and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, and every of us, our and every of our heirs, executors and administrators. for the whole and in the whole, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents. SEALED with our seals, and dated the 18th day of April in the year or our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Seventy and in the ninety fourth year of American Independence. THE CONDITION OF THE ABOVE OBLIGATION IS SUCH, THAT IF THE ABOVE BOUND Administrator of the goods, chattels, and credits of Alfred Hatcher deceased, do make a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the goods, chattels and credits of the said deceased which have or shall come to the hands, possession, or knowledge of the said Alfred J. Hughes Administrator or into the hands or possession of any other person or persons for him and the same so made do exhibit into the said Court of Probate for Edgefield county, when he shall be thereunto required, and such goods, chattels and credits do well and truly administer, according to law, and make a just and true account of his actings and doings therein when required by the said Court; and all of the rest of the said goods, chattels and credits which shall be found remaining upon the account of the said Administratrion, the same being first allowed by the said Court, shall deliver and pay unto such persons, respectively, as are entitled to the same by law: and if it shall hereafter appear that any last Will and Testament was made by the said deceased, and the same be proved in Court, and the Executors obtain a Certificate of Probate thereof, and the said Administratror do in such case, if required, render and deliver up said Letter of Administration, then this obligation to be void, or else to remain in full force. Signed sealed and delivered } A J Hughes [L.S.] in the presence of Jas. Hatcher [L.S.] L. T. Covar Administrat Sworn } Value estate not exceeding Suret justified.} d