Thanks, Lew. My Howells were TN, (and NC farther back.) I have heard through one source that Mahala was sometimes a surname, also that it may have been originally Arabic. (Ring a bell here, anybody?) Another correspondent has a Mahalah whom she believes was full-blooded. Cherokees (and other N/A groups) of course adopted given and surnames of English and other groups. It would be fascinating to me if my Mahala in my father's line connected with one in my mother's line, even if indirect. But not impossible, since my parents' lines do seem to intersect at other points. Anne ----- Original Message ----- From: <lewhowell@juno.com> To: <annerhai@ttmol.com> Sent: Monday, December 22, 2003 12:46 AM Subject: Re: [HOWELL] Re: Stephen and Mary > I have the name Mahala Castlio (1798-ca 1866) dau of John and Ruth Lowe > Castlio of Davidson County, TN m Benjamin Howell (1794-1858) in 1815 in > MO. One of their children was Mahala Adaline (1835-1913). Lew (CA) > > On Wed, 10 Dec 2003 08:58:46 -0500 "Anne" <annerhai@ttmol.com> writes: > > Pati, > > I'm interested in the given name Mahala. I have a Mahala although it > > is not > > in the Howell line: In fact on the opposite side of the family. She > > was > > Mahala RIGGS m. Elkanah LEWIS in Surry Co NC. Do you connect with > > either of > > these surnames, through HOWELL or NEWLAND? > > Okay, it's only a shot in the dark. One of my brick walls, I can't > > get back > > farther than Mahala Riggs, early 19th C. > > Anne