Your reasoning of the date of the Indian attack makes sense as this would leave Catherine a widow with children, but which John?? Catherine shows on the 1800 South Carolina census in the Greenville District with 2 males under 10; 1 male between 10 and 16; 1 female under 10; 1 female 10 to 16 and 1 (herself) as 26 to 45. I suspect but can't prove that the likely spouse is the first John you mentioned. HOWEVER all of the females shown on the 1790 census are candidates for Garrison's mother as they would all be of the right age in 1820. BUT why assume illegitimacy? If one Indian attack happened why not two or some decease that carried away both parents or maybe just simple desertion? There were several areas of public lands that opened for settlement during that time. Maybe they went west and never came back?? I wonder if anyone has access to the actual census forms as they might have a little more information. I am still sorting through the Medlock file. Maybe we wil find another clue or two. Let me know what you find Good Luck Joe Matlock >>> <[email protected]> 11/30/00 03:26PM >>> Dear Joe: I agree that they should be treated as separate individuals. As to the geography, the USGENweb South Carolina site has wonderful information regarding how the state, districts, counties were formed and when. The upshot being that the Greenville District/County and Laurens District/County were right next to one another by 1795 and Edgefield and Abbeville next to Laurens. As in all our other searches for families during this period in various states, borders changed and records are found in various counties, districts. Regarding the John Medlocks of Greenville Co. The 1790 census found on their website, lists a John Medlock (p.70) with 1 male over 16, 1 male under 16 and 4 females; then another John Medlock (p.70) with 2 males over 16, 3 under 16 and 5 females; and on p. 68 a Luke Medlock with 1 male over 16, 2 under 16 and 2 females. I believe that one of the John Medlocks from above must be the grandfather of Garrison Gibson Medlock. It would also seem that the parents of the unwed mother would more likely raise the child. Could it also be that the mother died in childbirth? In your notes for John Medlock, regarding the article in the Ga State Gazette and the John Medlock that was killed in Cherokee Territory. That was from Sam Medlock, who reviewed the article on microfilm at the Augusta Library. He said it was a very difficult to read due to either poor filming or being in a state of disrepair by the time it was filmed. It is possible that the date of 1788 might have actually been 1798 for in 1795, the Abbeville district was formed and the article mentioned that the assualt took place in Abbeville. If in fact it was 1798, it would explain the Catherine Medlock, who appears in the 1800 Greenville District Census....as perhaps a widow of that John. Finally, I know you will be glad. Garrison Gibson Medlock was supposedly born in 1820 in Laurens, raised by his grandparents the John Medlocks. I have not been able to find a John Medlock on the 1820 census in any of the S.C. counties/districts. Do you have such information or has anyone found a John Medlock in S. C. after 1800? Thanks, Mary Jean