Diane writes: I have a Katherine Wheeler, b. abt. 1820 in Kentucky - according to all census records after her marriage. She married James Patterson, b. abt. 1808 in Kentucky - again according to all census records after their marriage. They married on November 14, 1835 in Franklin County, Indiana but the early marriage record does not contain information on either of their parents. Some Stabs at a Response: If James Patterson were born ca 1808 in Kentucky, then his parents in all probability were *pioneers* in Kentucky, which was formed 1792 from Virginia. (By the way, had he been married previously? Always suspect multiple marriages, especially if there is an age difference.) If either of these parties lived to be counted in the 1880 census, he/she MAY have answered [we hope correctly] the questions in that census: Where was your father born? Where was your mother born? If a child answered this question, however, and the parent were dead, he/she may have had incorrect info. (A transcript of the 1880 census is available FREE on _www.familysearch.org_ (http://www.familysearch.org) Look on the opening screen for *census* on the right side of the screen, and choose [two times] the US census.) My study of early Kentucky settlers inclines me to believe most of them came from these three areas: 1. Virginia--of course which included what is now West Virginia. 2. North Carolina - Boonesborough in Madison Co. was *thought up* by a group of North Carolina speculators. Read the history of Boonesborough by George W. Ranck, which is now digitized on the online database called HeritageQuest, available through some Public libraries. Ask your librarian. 3. A few Pennsylvanians Now, throw in a few Marylanders, as reflected in some of the Kentucky Court of Appeals claims/suits, as transcribed by Michael L. Cook and Bettie Cummings Cook. (Search the Family History Library Catalog and any Kentucky libraries to find these authors). If the researcher has access to the so-called 1787 Census of Virginia by Netti-Schreiner Yantis and Florine S. Love, it behooves the researcher to study those three volumes CAREFULLY. The third volume is an index to the first two volumes. I have learned through experience to photocopy EVERY index page in the 3rd volume for my surnames. Then, if there are lot of pages with those surnames, I find a quiet corner where I take a large clean sheet of paper and write down in numerical order every page number in that index. Then, if there are only a few names, I note those in my reading. If there are a LOT of that particular surname, then I go to the photocopier and copy EVERY page where that surname occurs. Also, photocopy the key which appears in Volume 1. (It may appear in subsequent volumes--I don't remember.) What is the 1787 Census of Virginia? It is a compilation of personal property tax lists for nearly every county in Virginia, including all those existing in Kentucky, then a part of Virginia, and what is now West Virginia, and whatever other land Virginia claimed in 1787. You must note every instance of that surname--because some, like Christopher Harris of Madison Co., KY, had personal property both in Albemarle Co., VA and in what became Madison Co., KY [well, it already was a county but was in Virginia]. He was already making his move to Kentucky in 1787. For North Carolina, the going will be more difficult. You might see what Wheelers may have been in the American Revolution. But, these records are not neatly compiled in a single work. However, you might try to see whether DAR Patriot Indexes have any Wheelers from North Carolina who served in the American Revolution. (The Revolution officially ended in November 1783--not too long before your Wheelers were in Kentucky.) If you can access HeritageQuest, you might check any Rev War pension claims which have been digitized to find any Wheelers. I don't do a good deal of Pennsylvania research, as my main Pennsylvanian had already left his birthplace about the time of the American Revolution, and I know a good deal about him, but not necessarily based on my own research. Frequently, families moved to other territories with the neighbors. If you know who the neighbors were in Kentucky, latch onto an uncommon name among those neighbors and see if you can determine where they came from. In the meantime, I hope you have discovered a Kentucky land grant or two or three for your ancestors who came to Kentucky in its early commonwealth days. Good luck. Remember that the population in 1808 wasn't so great--and Wheeler is a less common surname than the ones I have in my lineage!! E.W.Wallace whose Kentucians came from VA, NC, PA and later from TN and also MD **************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape. http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489