Mary, If you remember me from many years ago. I still live in New Mexico. My BESS/BEST ancestry line is thru my paternal grandmother Morna Evalene (BESS) HIMES b.3 May 1894 Vandalia, Fayette Co, Illinois d.1969 buried Fayette Co, IL west of Vandalia in Browning Cemetery. Her parents Henry BESS & Sarah Elizabeth (ELMORE) are buried there also. My paternal great-grandmother Rachel Lee (CHESHIRE) HIMES lived next to and donated more land to the cemetery. Dad said his grandfather Henry BEST changed his surname spelling to BESS about 1870. It is believed Henry's parents Abraham/Absolum BEST b.abt 1811 Washington Co, PA and Sarah MCDONOUGH died in a wagon train camp along a river in Illinois after 1864 and before1870. It seems your James came to Illinois about the same time. I wonder if they were in the same family wagon train? I have always felt my BESS/BEST line was connected somehow to your James Smith BESS. I think both our lines were related somehow and started in probably Pennsylvania or Maryland early and mine went to Tuscarawas Co, Ohio and yours went south. It has been said in family tradition the BESS were southern sympathsizers and fled the north for their very lives, but I have no proof, as I have none on where the wagon train camp was. My uncle says there is an old wagon train crossing in the river north of Vandalia near Ramsey in the Kaskaskia river bottom. Henry BESS's brother Hugh and other relatives settled in Clay Co, IL Sooo... I don't know, maybe even at river bank in Clay Co, IL. Glad to see you on-line. My ancestry line from both sets of my grandparents going back earlier by generation groups with names, surnames, dates and localities is in the HIMES line link of our homepage. http://members.truepath.com/beverly/index.html Beverly (HIMES) BARGER in NM ----- Original Message ----- From: Mary L. Stiny <mlou@uswest.net> To: <BESS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, April 29, 2000 5:37 PM Subject: BESS, JAMES SMITH, born 14 Nov 1804 SC, > I am researching James Smith Bess/Best. b 14 Nov 1804 SC, d 22 Aug 1855 > Winston Co.,AL. > James Smith Bess married 14 Apr 1826 to Mary Ann Hiefner b 12 Jun 1811 NC, > Died 1890 Howell Co., MO, > > Their children were: > > Martha A b 8 Nov 1829 TN m Wm Cox > Mary A .b 13 Dec 1831 TN > Nancy A, b 30 Mar 1834 TN m Jeremiah Flood > Eliza C b 7 Feb 1837 TN m ---Pike > Ester L. b 17 Sep 1839 AL m ---Pike > William Jasper b 11 Nov 1842 AL m Mary Eliz West > John N b 15 Apr 1845 AL > Sara Jane b 26 Sep 1847 AL m James Ray Evans ( my gr grandparents) > Marinda T b 8 Nov 1850 AL > David Smith b 25 Feb 1854 AL > > The family is found in the following censuses: 1830 Warren Co., TN; 1840 > Walker Co., AL; 1850 Hancock Co, AL; 1860 Winston Co., AL; 1870 Vandalia, > Fayette Co., IL; 1880 Howell Co., MO. > > Jasper (Wm Jasper) joined the Union Army - 1st Sargent, Company A, 1st > Alabama Cavalry. Winston Co. was so opposed to the Southern cause that it > voted to succeed from the state and became known as "The Free State of > Winston". > The emotions of course ran high and there was much infighting among the > people. > Jasper's time in the Union Army was perilous as far as hiding from the > Confederates in the area. > He was discharged in Jan 1863 and took all of his siblings and mother to > Vandalia, > Fayette Co., IL. I have always wondered if the reason they went there was > because there > was family there but have not been able to tie into anyone. Mary and two > daughters are > found living with a Sarah Burk in the 1870 census, the rest of the family is > also around. > Even the married daughter Marth A Bess Cox with two children is in IL. > > > > > ==== BESS Mailing List ==== > This BESS list is currently available for adoption! > Interested in becoming the list manager? Go here: > http://resources.rootsweb.com/surnames/adoptrequest.html > > > ============================== > The RootsWeb WorldConnect Project: > Tens of millions of individuals... and counting. > http://worldconnect.genealogy.rootsweb.com/ >