This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Covington Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/ZKB.2ACE/417.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Betty, thanks again for more information. If the death date for John Covington - 1818 - is correct, then I think it is unlikely that he would be the father of Melchizedec Covington, if the information in the "History of the Pioneers of Missouri" can be regarded as true. This source indicates that Melchizedec "lost both of his parents when he was quite young." Melchizedec was born in 1788, if one trusts the 1860 census data; possibly 8-10 years earlier, given that he is said to have married in 1799 according to the Pioneers of Missouri. In either case, I would assume that his parents died prior to 1795 or so. Here is a situation where I am certain that one or more of these dates must be wrong, but I'm not sure which to give the most credence to. I think a trip to North Carolina would be useful. I also found a large database concerning the Covington family worldwide on Rootsweb that has some information on North Carolina Covingtons. In that database, the Joseph Covington that I think you refer to, Betty, has different parentage: JOSEPH COVINGTON. Ref: 11935. Born: around 1780 at Pittsylvania VA. Father: Edmond Joseph, Parent Ref: 6161. Mother: Austin Prewet. Died: 26 May 1863 at Rockingham NC aged 83. 1st Mar: around 1799 at Pittsylvania VA to Betsy 11936. 2nd Mar: during 1833 at Rockingham NC to Hudnall, Elizabeth 11937. Moved from Pittsylvania VA to Rockingham Co NC between WILLIAM. Ref: 11938. Born 5 Oct 1800 at Pittsylvania VA. Mother: Betsy JOSIAH. Ref: 11939. Born 1 Oct 1805 at Pittsylvania VA. Mother: Betsy NANCY. Ref: 11940. Born 29 Jun 1807 at Pittsylvania VA. Mother: Betsy EDMUND. Ref: 11928. Born 14 Apr 1809 at Pittsylvania VA. Mother: Betsey DAVID. Ref: 11941. Born 24 Feb 1811 at Pittsylvania VA. Mother: Betsy FANNEY. Ref: 11942. Born 21 Mar 1813 at Rockingham NC. Mother: Betsy CATHERINE. Ref: 11943. Born 1 Jan 1816 at Rockingham NC. Mother: Betsy JOHN ANDERSON. Ref: 11944. Born 7 Apr 1818 at Rockingham NC. Mother: Betsy JAMES H. Ref: 11945. Born 7 Mar 1821 at Rockingham NC. Mother: Betsy No mention of Charles W. Covington in this family. I will need to spend some more time sorting through this database.