I can think of two possibilities, albeit rather dim. One is that neither of them actually wrote the wills and whoever did made an error. The other possibility is that after James died, Elizabeth married John. Are you looking at the original handwritten wills? When I was working with Accomack wills, I found that some were typed copies of the originals, and whoever typed them changed the spelling of several names (based on looking at other records). Or, John's middle name might have been James and he used both intermittently? Elizabeth In a message dated 7/26/2010 9:10:13 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: I did not know how to explain the below contradiction in the name of the husband of Elizabeth Smith. (Keddie also refers to James Smith). This is an example of the reason why we should check the original will whenever possible. After a giant struggle with the Huntington site, I managed to find Smith's will of 1739-40 below (vol. 22, folio 172). Voila - it said very clearly I JOHN Smith, Sr. of Somerset County etc. Of course here's the problem - was this copy on the Huntington site also a copy of an original will and were Cotton and Keddie looking at an entirely different copy. What a headache. Smith, Elizabeth, widow of John,All Hallows Parish, Somerset Co.,19th May, 1742; 10th March, 1742-3; 17th March, 1742-3. To cousin Sarah Patrick, dau.-in-law Sarah Hickman, and granddau. Bridget Hickman, personalty. To daus.-in-law Dillegane Rickard, Bridget Seasill, Tamer Day, Charity Maisey, Anne Bell and Elizabeth Collins, residue of estate. Exs.: Isaac Bell, John Rickard. Test: John Miller, Charles Mooney, Abraham Lynch. 23. 97. I can not understand why it is widow of John when it appears his name was James LOL. Smith, James, Sr.,Somerset Co.,23rd Mar., 1739-40; 27th Apr., 1740. To son John, ex., and hrs., 350 A. “Cow Quarter”, 200 A. “Isleington” 430 A. “Cords Lott”. To daus. Sarah, Bridgett, Diligents and Comfort and sons Charles and William, personalty. To wife Elizabeth, 1/3 estate. Test: Thomas Purkins, Race Clark, Samuel Showell. 22. 172. *************************************** QUESTIONS about POSTING GUIDELINES, SUBSCRIBING or UNSUBSCRIBING? Visit The Lower DelMarVa Roots Mailing List FAQ: http://www.tyaskin.com/handley/ldrfaq.htm ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message