Its been a while since I've posted my family - maybe someone can help. 1 - James Farris arrived in the Staunton, IL around 1817. He arrived with 5 children: Smith, George W. b 1796, Larkin (poss. James), Margaret (married John RIGGIN/RAGAN) & Lucinda (married William DAVIS). There is no mention of a wife for James. I believe all the children were married by the 1820 census. In 1838 Thomas S. WEST bought out the Farris heirs. So I presume that James & his spouse had both died by 1838. Is anyone researching Thomas S. West that might have a deed? The name is spelled Faris, Farriss & Pharis in different IL records for several generations. Does anyone have any information on a James Farris/Farriss/Pharis that may have been born possibly between 1760 - 1770. Then he was in NC or SC in 1796. 2 - George W. Farris (Farriss in the IL land records also) b. 1796 SC d. 1865 in Macoupin Co., IL. He is buried in the Tine Sawyer Cemetery. His spouse: Nancy PIPER b. 1700 GA d. ? (her parents were: James and Catherine (VINEYARD) PIPER. They were married in 1818 in Madison Co., IL. Nancy remarried in 1866 to a R. W. WILLIAMS in 1866 in Macoupin Co., IL. Is there anyone researching a R.W. WILLIAMS?? According to George's will they had 4 children: Sarah Jane (married Robert SAWYER 1849 Macoupin Co., IL), Lucinda (married ? HANDLEY), William Vinyeard (married Permelia HARRINGTON) & James S. (he was married 3 times). George built a band mill between Hamel & Alhambra township - one of the first there. According to his tombstone, George was a veteran, but I can't find him in anywhere in the military. He is listed as an Honor Roll Veteran in Macoupin Co., but when I contacted the state they found no information on him. 3 - William Vinyeard b. 1823 d. 1879 Macoupin Co., IL. He married Permelia HARRINGTON in 1879. Permelia was b. 1822 Staunton, IL. (I believe her father was John HARRINGTON and his father Whitmil HARRINGTON) William and Permelia had 7 Children: Sarah Jane b. 1845, Emma C. b. 1947, Margaret Isabell b. 1849, George W. b. 1853, Permelia Ann b. 1858, Charles b. 1863 and William Henry b. 1861. This family lived in "West Prairie"??? which would have been east of Bunker Hill, IL. Has anyone heard of West Prairie?? There is a "story" that William came home to find his wife and children gone. He tracked them down with his gun - and then something about loosing all his land instead of going to jail. As of yet I haven't been able to find anything about this "story". Other surnames associated with these Faris' in IL are: Crites/Cretuz, Funderburk/Funderburg, Piper, Sawyer & Vineyard. Sorry this is so long but maybe another name will help someone else to connect. Thank you for taking the time to read this. -- Debi Fort Myers, FL df620@gate.net - - - - - - - - - Did Washington just flash a quarter for his ID?