I have had some interesting interchanges with a descendant of the BELLs in Wayne County, NORTH CAROLINA, and have a question that I'm hoping someone can answer. There is in Wayne County, KENTUCKY, a Joseph Bell/Nancy Davenport line. Joseph was b. ca. 1745 in VA, however I do not have the county. Was it Rockingham? Is there anyone who has more information on where Joseph was born, lived and died? I have that he died ca. 1815, but no location or documentation. The reason I am asking this is because the Wayne County, NORTH CAROLINA, researcher informs me that he is descended from William Bell Sr. of Wayne County, North Carolina, b. ca. 1720 to William Bell & Mary McGowan of Augusta County, Virginia. William (the son) had a son Lindsey Bell who was mentioned in his will. Francis & William Bell of Otter Creek in Wayne County, KENTUCKY, were sons of Lindsey Bell b. 1739 found in Randolph County, NORTH CAROLINA, in the 1790 Federal Population Census. We believe there must be a connection between the two families, as Lindsey is not a typical given name among the BELLs. Backing up to William Bell of Augusta Co, VA, he was born ca. 1685 in Scotland or Ireland and died at Fort Defiance, Augusta Co, VA, in 1757. He is buried at the Augusta Stone Church (Presbyterian) Cemetery next to his wife. William and Mary had the following children: ....... 2 Joseph BELL b: Abt. 1718 ........... +Elizabeth HENDERSON ....... 2 William BELL b: Abt. 1720 ....... 2 David BELL b: Abt. 1722 ........... +Florence HENDERSON ....... 2 Samuel BELL b: Abt. 1724 ....... 2 Mary BELL b: Abt. 1726 ....... 2 Martha BELL b: Abt. 1743 What has caught my attention is the existence of the following headstone in the Augusta Stone Church Cemetery: Bell, Joseph b 17 May 1746 - d 13 Sep 1833 Since I am not extremely familiar with Joseph Bell/Nancy Davenport whose children came into Wayne County, KY, I was wondering if there was a possibility this might be the same person. Descendants of William Bell and Mary McGowan did come into various parts of Kentucky, and we did have McGowans of our own in Wayne County, Kentucky, very early. Too, the names of William's sons, namely Joseph and David, are significant in that Joseph Bell/Nancy Davenport had a son named David. It has long been my suspicion that the Virgina Bells and North Carolina Bells in Wayne County, KY, might be in some way related. Could it be that William Bell and Mary McGowan might be the common ancestor? I would dearly love to hear some discussion on this subject regarding what is known and documented. Fay Clark ________________________________________________________________ Sent Via Ethixs Online Mail-Clean Internet Access www.ethixs.com