Let's look at the land records a different way: The following four records relate to one tract: May 21, 1761 deed of Richard Murphy to Thomas Hodges, both of Halifax Co., for L25, 100 ac. on both sides of Bradley Crk. part of a patent of 400 ac. granted by patent first to Welcome William Hodges Aug. 16, 1756. Wit. Joseph Collins, Wm. Murphy, Welcom Wm. Hodges. Halifax Co. (Va.) Deed Book 3, page 111. Feb. 18, 1762 Deed from Thomas Hodges to William Sims for L30, 200 ac. on both sides of Bradleys Cr., part of a larger patent first granted to [Welcome] Wm. Hodges Aug. 16, 1756, beg. Cor. of Thos. Dendey's line . new line of marked trees made by agmt. dividing the upper part which was conveyed by deed to the sd Thos. Hodges, signed this date by Jno. Hodges. Rec. Feb. 18, 1762. Halifax Co. Deed Book 3, page 385. Feb. 17, 1763 Deed of William Sims to Thomas Hodges, both of Halifax Co., for L40, 200 ac. on both sides of Bradleys Crk. part of a patent first granted to Welcome Wm. Hodges Aug. 16, 1756. Rec. Feb. 17, 1763. Halifax Co. (Va.) Deed Book 4, page 159. Oct. 5, 1763 deed of Thomas and Elizabeth Hodges to John Stewart, for 32 pounds, 200 ac. beg. on upper cor. Thos. Dendy's line . both sides Bradleys Crk., part of a greater tract granted to WelcomeWm. Hodges Aug. 16, 1756. Wit. Thos. Tunstall, James Hodges, Thos. Dendy. Rec. Oct. 20, 1763. Nath' l Terry et al to examine Eliz. Hodges for relinquishment of her dower right in land sold by husband Thos. Hodges to John Stuart, signed this date, Robert Munford CHC rec Oct 8, 1763, Elizabeth Hodges, wife of Thomas, relinq. her right of dower, signed Nat Terry, James Roberts Jr. Halifax Co. (Va.) Deed Book 4, page 436. Then, the following two relate to another tract: July 21, 1763 Joseph Shaw of Halifax Co. to Thomas Hodges & William Hodges for L20. 200 ac. part of 400 ac. where sd Shaw now lives, Beg. at Fountain's line, crossing Beaver Pond Branch,, and Cths. Road, Shaw's old line. Rec. Jul. 21, 1763. Wit. Thomas Green. Halifax Co. (Va.) Deed Book 4, page 333. Jun. 21, 1770 deed from Thomas Hodges, Susanna his wife, William Hodges, Joseph Shaw and Anne Shaw his wife, all of Antrim Parish, Halifax Co., to Jeremiah Stevens, 200 acres, part of 400 acres whereon said Shaw formerly lived, on Fontaine's line, crossing Beaver Pond Branch, and Courthouse Road, grantors have good, sure and perfect indefeasible estate of inheritance in fee simple. Halifax Co. (Va.) Deed Book 8, page 1. Dec. 1, 1740 Patent to John Smith for 400 ac Amelia Co., both sides of Flat Creek, bounded by Bently alias Hodges, Sizemore, Eckholes, etc. Va. Land Patent Book 19, page 874. 1750 Amelia County Surveys, number 21: "John Bently now Thoms. Hodges survey on the upper side of Flatt Creek joyning Jones, Cobbs and Sizemore's lines." Feb. 27, 1752 deed of John Smith to Robert Smith of Gloucester Co., Va. 200 ac. on N. side of Flat Creek, adj. lines of Hodges alias Russel, Sizemore & Eckholes. McConnaughey, Amelia Co., Va., Deeds 1747-1753. June 1765 Samuel Bentley v. Thomas Hodges, debt, suit dismiss'd. Halifax Co. (Va.) Plea Book 5, page 87. These records suggest to me that Thomas Hodges moved onto land on Flat Creek in Amelia County originally belonging to John Bently about 1740 and held the land until about 1750 or 1752. He was listed as a tithable in Lunenburg County in 1749. The land had apparently passed to Russell by 1752. The later Bentley suit may relate to non-payment of money to purchase the land. Next, this group of records: Dec. 10, 1764 Survd. for William Hodges 374 acres of land on the Draughts of Frying Pan Cr. .. Dalton's line . Thos. New line. Pittsylvania Co. Old Survey Book 1, page 141. 1765 Timothy Dalton et al. v. Thomas Hodges et al. suit dismiss'd. Halifax Co. (Va.) Plea Book 5, page 113. [Would be nice to know who et al. was!] Nov. 2, 1774 John Hodges v. Robert Walton, son and heir of Robert Walton decd. for 390 ac. Halifax Co. entered this date. Abated by plaintiff's death. Nov. 2, 1774 John Hodges v. Robert Walton for 400 ac. Halifax Co. entered this date. Abated by plaintiff's death. October General Court 1782 Caveats Dismissed, Abated or Determined. "Caveated Surveys Settled in the General Court 1782-88", Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, Feb. 1990. To understand these you need to know that William Hodges' 1764 survey on the draughts of Frying Pan Creek adjoined land of Robert Walton. That land adjoined land of Timothy Dalton. For some reason, the William Hodges survey 's calls along Walton's line are described as "Dalton's line." There were two prior entires in this area by Tucker Woodson, and Timothy Dalton and Tucker Woodson had some dealings. This is just a wild guess, but it may have been that William first acquired the land from Woodson or Dalton, and had some arrangement that involved Thomas that resulted in the suit. He then transferred it to John, who entered the caveat against Walton, because he claimed under the earlier Woodson entry. This might mean that the John we find in Pittsylvania up to 1774 is the same as the one who appears in Marlboro County in 1775. I am less clear on the Williams. Possibly the 1764 and 1767 records relate to William, but I think the later William Sr. and Jr. are other men (the latter probably the son of Isham Hodges). Identity of these men in Pittsylvania with the ones in Halifax is not critical to my theory. Then let's look at what all the records tell us about each individual: Thomas Hodges 1734 Amelia Co., Va. (child christened) 1735 Amelia Co., Va. (witness in court/guarding prisoner); Bladen Co., N.C. (adjacent landowner) 1736 Amelia Co. Va. (tithable) (but may not be same) 1737 Bladen Co., N.C. (patent); Amelia Co., Va. (witness in court); Bladen Co. N.C. (patentee) 1738 1739 Amelia Co., Va. (tithable, deft. in court) 1740 Cumberland (Bladen) Co., N.C. (witness to deed); Amelia Co., Va. (adjacent landowner) 1741 1742 1743 not found in Amelia Co. 1744 Cumberland Co., N.C. (deed/grantee) 1745 New Hanover (Duplin) Co., N.C. (adjoining landowner) 1746 1747 Cumberland Co., N.C. (deed/grantor) 1748 Lunenburg (Halifax) Co. Va. (land entry; tithable) 1749 Lunenburg (Halifax) Co. Va. (tithable) 1750 Amelia Co., Va. (survey); not in Lunenburg (Halifax Co.) Va. tithable list 1751 1752 No longer owning Amelia Co. land; Halifax Co., Va. (land entry) 1753 Halifax Co., Va. (land entry and witness in court) 1754 1755 Halifax Co., Va. (witness in court) 1756 not inhabitant of Halifax Co. (deft. in court) 1757 1758 1759 Halifax Co., Va. (confessed judgment in court) 1760 Halifax Co., Va. (witness in court and deed for wagon) 1761 Halifax Co., Va. (deft. in court); Cumberland Co., Va. (patentee) 1762 Halifax Co., Va. (deft. in court) 1763 Halifax Co., Va. (deft. in court, deed/grantee, deed/grantor) 1764 Halifax Co., Va. (witness to deed) 1765 Orange Co., N.C. (deed/grantee); deft. absconded from Halifax Co., Va. 1766 not inhabitant of Halifax Co. (deft. in court) 1767 Halifax Co., Va. (processioner, with Thos. Jr.). 1768 No inhabitant of Halifax Co. 1769 Halifax Co., Va. Probably died in 1769 or 1770. William Hodges 1734-46 1747 Cumberland Co. N.C. (deed/grantee) 1748 1749 1750 1751 Cumberland Co. N.C. (land entry) 1752 1753 Cumberland Co., N.C. (deed/grantee) 1754 Cumberland Co., N.C. (deed/grantor) 1755 Cumberland Co., N.C. (deed/grantor) 1756 1757 1758 Cumberland Co., N.C. (deed/grantee) 1759 Cumberland Co., N.C. (deed/witness) 1760 Cumberland Co., N.C. (deed/grantor) 1761 Cumberland Co., N.C. (patent) 1762 Halifax Co., Va. (deft. in court; witness in court) 1763 Halifax Co., Va. (deed/grantor; deft. in court) 1764 Halifax Co., Va. (plaintiff in court); Pittsylvania Co., Va. (survey) 1765 Franklin Co., Va. (survey) 1766 not inhabitant of Halifax Co. (deft. in court) 1767 Pittsylvania Co. Va. (attachment; tithable?) 1768 1769 1770 1771 Cumberland Co., N.C. (patent) 1772 Cumberland Co., N.C. (land entry) 1773 Cumberland Co., N.C. (patent) 1774 1775 1776 John Hodges 1734-1761 1762 Halifax Co., Va. (deed/grantor) 1763 Halifax Co., Va. (deft. in court) 1764 Halifax Co., Va. (pltf. in court) 1765 Orange Co., N.C. (deed/grantee); Halifax Co., Va. (plntf. in court) 1766 Orange Co., N.C. (deed/ grantee) 1767 possibly Pittsylvania County 1768 Halifax Co., Va. (witness) 1769 Orange Co., N.C. (deed/grantor) 1770 orange Co., N.C. (deed/grantor) 1771 Halifax Co., Va. (deft. in court) 1772 1773 Possibly Pittsylvania County 1774 Halifax Co., Va/ (caveats for land); Possibly Pittsylvania County. 1775 St. David's Parish (Cheraw District), S.C. 1776 1782 (or before) deceased Next, Marlboro County, South Carolina.