Mary Jean, I have to agree with you about the #1 Rial #1 -Rial/Reel/Royal Matlock ---- TENNESSEE ? - b. 1780/84 Rial and Jason rowdy - TENNESSEE - 1804 Rial - Taxes -----Roane Co, TENN - 1805 Rial m. Nancy ------Roane Co, TENN - 1806 Reel & Berry ---?MISS territory - 1810 Rial - Vagrant - SOUTH CAROLINA - 1811 Rial - Burglary & escapee - Robertson Co TENN - 1816 You said: "The MISS to SC jump is certainly surprising" Im not sure it was a jump from MS to SC.. This came from a Petition from Simm's Settlement and surrounding area.. the two that are noted as far as Matlock are concerned was Berry Matlock and Rial Matcok it says: Although commonly referred to as the "Simms' Settlement Petition," numerous of the 450 men and women (Intruders) who signed the following document were residing elsewhere within the untreated Chickasaw lands, including Giles County, although Simms Settlement (on the Elk River in present-day Limestone County, Alabama, just south of Giles) does appear to have been where the settlers' returned to re-group following the 1809 Intruder Removals Now I may be wrong, but the Berry Matlock listed above, I have as the son of Luke.. It has been said that Littleberry son of Luke married Nancy Strothers..Dau of John Strothers.. John Strothers,( Of course I have no way of knowing if this is Nancy father) Happens to be in the same area....This Littleberry I believe goes to Limestone Co and later to Tippah Co MS.. Theres a real interesting write up on the Simms Settlement and Early History of Giles Co TN.. The address is http://www.tngenweb.org/giles/history/ms-ss.html the page where Berry and Rial are mentioned is at this address http://www.tngenweb.org/giles/history/1810pet.html As to who Rials father is, Im just not sure.. As Wanda says, at times he around Moores sons.. But If hes a brother, Nephew or Cousins, I cant tell.. He does at one point spend time around Littleberry Matlock son of Luke.. as mentioned above but maybe they are cousins? the only one who seemed to care about naming their sons with the name Rial was Absolom son of Moore.. which makes you want to say its because Absolom and Rial were brothers is why... If Rial was born abt the time we are guessing.. Maybe Absolom took Rial in after their mother died and was close to boy? I suppose this is one that we will never know actually who is who... I just wonder what happened to POOR Nancy.. Rial's wife? and did they have Kids? That poor Nancy with Rial in and out of Jail had to be tough on her! Some where I have seen that it was believed that Rial was killed at the Alamo.. I tried to find proof to this, but didnt.. Theres not alot out there on that War. that I was able to find.. So cant say if he died there or not... If I was to guess as to who his father is I would Pick Moore. and the only reason why I would is because of the association with Absolom naming his sons Rial.. Brenda