My thanks to each of you who responded to my message concerning the relatives of Matilda Branham Rutledge Davidson. The 1844 Probate record contains enough surnames to puzzle anyone, looks like I came to the right place to get answers! I will make a copy of the record from microfilm and make the copy available. It was speculated that the bondsmen, Sampson Looney and James LeGrand, were neighbors and neighbors they were. Checking the GLO I found: Survey Twp 26N, Range 29W, Newton County meets with Lawrence and Barry Counties. Clockwise, section 26 is in Newton County, section 25 is in Lawrence County, section 36 is in Barry County and Section 35 is in Newton County. Stephen D Sutton bought 120 acres of government land in section 25, Lawrence County. Thomas C Rutledge bought 80 acres in section 26, Newton County. John Rutledge bought 120 acres in section 35, Newton County. Luke Williams bought land in section 23, Newton County. Sec 23 is north of section 26, on the Lawrence Co. line. Other members of the families purchased land nearby. Nancy and Lucy Williams bought 40 acres each in section 25, Lawrence County but I suspect there is no relation as Nancy Williams appears in the Greene Co. tax list of 1834, neither Nancy or Lucy appear in the 1850 Lawrence county census. Per the May 1993 issue, Ancestors Unlimited, the Barry Co. H & G Society quarterly: “Box___ Hannah Davidson, deceased, - Thomas C Rutledge to settle estate. Dated: Dec 13, 1859 I will check the film ‘Probate Record 1844-1872’ for this record and copy if it is there. Have not located other burials for these folks. A cemetery is depicted on the General Highway map in Section 35, I do not have its name. 1870 census, Newton County: Nathan Brannon, age 85 VA in Van Buren Township Perrin Rutledge, age 55 S.C. and family in Van Buren Township. Mary Rutledge 41 Ky and family, next door to Rerrin. Nancy Sutton age 60 S.C. in Neosho, Peter Rutledge 50 Tn in home. Rhoda Brannon 57 S.C. in Neosho. Thanks for reading this far. bill landers Cape Cod, MA