Ron, Now that you mention your family was in Lancaster Co,(district), SC --- that's also where my ADAMS family line migrated from -> to Alabama. Our family (and many others too) were offered land in the new territories around 1820 (ALA became a state in 1819 & MISS. in 1820 or '21) for a very small sum. You may be familiar with land patenting. This is what my ggg-granpa ADAMS and others did to gain moe land, thus better opportunities for their families. It also eased the crowding in these areas of SC. Either families were so big that the family land had become just small parcels, too small to support another generation of a large family, or -- the lure of the "west" was always calling our forefathers onward. Many had the opportunity, also, to participate in land lotteries in their individual states. Just a few ideas that might help you in your search. Martha