"Eleanor Homewood" wrote: Subject: [MADKY] Darla Meng Can anyone give me a current e-mail address for Carla Meng. She entered some information on a Alzira Harris b 26 Dec 1809 in Madison Co KY on Ancestry.com in 2002. Since this is a line I am looking for I would like very much to contact her. The e-mail address that was entered then has came back to me as invalid. Alzira/Elzira Harris married Thomas Jefferson Gordon 17 Jan 1827 in Madison Co.KY. Darla has her father as Willie Harris. If any of these people are familiar to anyone I would very much enjoy hearing from you. Eleanor Homewood Dear Eleanor: I cannot answer any of your questions. This is how this marriage (Gordon-Harris) is listed in the Bill and Kathy Vockery's book Madison County Kentucky Marriage records Vol. II 1823-1851 p. 31 GORDON, Thomas J. - Harris, Alzira, 17 Jan 1827 [date of bond]; bondsman Diehl, William; return 18 Jan 1827 Possibly you will have to study the other Gordon bridegrooms in Madison Co. of this period. I will list them, but not their brides, unless you think there may be a clue in the names of the brides. Gordon, John - bond 22 Feb 1825 Gordon, William - bond 4 Mar 1841 Gordon, Willis - bond 30 Oct 1830 I collect some early Harrises of Madison Co., but Alzira does not ring a bell nor does her purported father Willie Harris. I will point out that the index of the Vockery compilation for this volume of marriages lists William Diehl as bondsman for a good many marriages. One wonders about his linkage to either the bride or the groom. Interesting - Thomas Gordon was also bondsman for several marriages of this time period. Maybe there is a clue among these marriages in which Thomas Gordon was bondsman. Busby, John F. - Hale, Mrs. Elizabeth, 7 Nov 1848, Gordon, Thomas [bondsman] 7 Nov 1848 [may be a second marriage as the one just above dated 1832 is also for John F. Busby] There may be a clue here: Harris, John H. - Lees, Isabella C, 26 Oct 1848 - Gordon, Thomas [bondsman] return 26 Dec 1848 McMillion, John C. - Taylor, Mary Ann, 31 Jul 1848 - Gordon, Thomas J. [bondsman], Taylor, William FB [father of bride giving consent] 3 Jul 1848 [return] Roberts, George - Harris, Elizabeth 29 Jun 1835 - Gordon, Thomas J. [bondsman], Harris, John, CUB [Vockerys' key for CUB - relationship unknown] 29 Jun 1836 In an earlier volume of marriages, also compiled by the Vockerys, for marriages of 1786-1822, the earliest marriage shown for a Gordon was held 25 Feb 1789 Gordon, Samuel - Gordon, Mary, 25 Feb 1789 - Davis, Samuel [bondsman] [no return shown] In my own research of Madison Co., KY, which has been on the back burner for about two years now, I found the filmed deed indexes and the deeds, held by the Family History Library, to be very helpful in establishing relationships. Probates are also of great help as the heirs distribute their inheritance. Commissioners deeds are useful, as a commissioner has been appointed by the court to have the family settle any differences among them. I frequently find the husband of one of the females in the family. If you live near an LDS FHC, you can borrow the film from Salt Lake City for a small fee for a short time. The deed indexes for Madison Co., grantor and grantee, have been typed alphabetically, and they are easy to read. Therefore, you can choose the names which pertain to your families and determine on which watercourse they clustered. Sometimes that helps one sort out one Harris family from another Harris family--that and the persons with whom they associate. I have found that filmed tax lists of Kentucky generally give the watercourse on which the land is located. At times, I have collected families which lived along the same creek to distinguish those who lived in a different direction and on a different watercourse. It seems to me that I read that in the early days, Madison Co. covered about six now current Kentucky counties, so you may have to look in adjoining counties for progeny of your Gordons. E.W.Wallace