Dear Janis, I started a more extensive reply to your request and then my server disconnected me and although the memo was still there, all was frozen. So will try to make this more brief, but will hit the "high points." You possibly have already found the St. Michael's and St. Martin's Lutheran Church records on line. If not, I think you will find a great deal of information there, and possibly your answer to your brick wall-- Go to the following web site: http://www.iredell.com/mikes.htm There are three books for St. Michaels -- B (1839 -1949), C (1850), and D (Renewed 1868) The very first reference I found was in Book B, p. 2 -- The deed was given by Michael Walcher in September 1823 to the trustees, Charles Mills, Martin Harkey, William Lippard ....." There are references for Mills all throughout this book - communcants lists, memberships list. Also, a number of Bass family members. Page 2 also mentions a list of names of the members who communed at the very first communion at the new St. Michael's in 1815 -- "Then following was a list of names beginning with Charles N. Mills and wife, Elizabeth. This list contained twenty names." and continues .... Book C has a more of what you are looking for: Archabale Bass confirmed by Rev. Anthony (p. 19) - many Mills baptisms and a few deaths. Book D is the largest book - p. 2 says that the property for the new St. Michael's Church in Troutman was donated by Dr. R. W. Mills and wife Mary Mills (along with several others) - purchased for $1 - record dated 1885. The church was built in 1886. Members listed in 1868 -- include Mary A. Bass and Archable Bass. (p.6). On pages 4 & 5 there are references to the Trustees Martin Harker, Charles Mills and William Lippard --- which goes back to the original purchase of land for the original church building in 1823. Page 15 shows Archibale Bass removed by letter -- and a Mary "Jane" Bass to Concord Presbyterian church. There are many Mills in the membership lists -- William, Joseph M. Sara Ann, Charlotte, and Sarah E. (Likewise in the earlier books - some that you reference) and also a baptism or two. Likewise there are some Sherrills, too. I hope all of this will be of help. I know it was a thrill for me to find my ggrandfather's confirmation and my grandfather's confirmation in the St. Michael's records - also the baptism and confirmation of my ggrandmother in the St. Martin's records before the two churches merged. She was a Lippard -- a descendent of the William Lippard mentioned above. There are probably many more Mills references that I overlooked in my quick search. There are also copies of a Troutman family history by Thomas L. Troutman at the web site: http://www.coe.uh.edu/~troutman/gene/DJL/ Interesting reading even if you don't have any Mills family members who are part of the Troutman clan. I found my ggrandfather's wife in those pages - she was a Troutman - died during the Civil War. That was also a thrill. I wish you well in your search for the Mills -- last fall we visited Iredell County and visited the St. Mark's cemetery and the Troutman family cemetery, as well as the old St. Michael's cemetery in Troutman. I'm sure you have discovered in your search that both churches combined to become Holy Trinity Lutheran in Troutman - we visited there, also. There are still records there for St. Michael's and St. Martins, too, I believe. We had a brief glimpse -- as another of our distant relatives was there searching, also. Good Luck! Betty Lawson Atlanta, GA 4/19/99 Hadi Ghrairi wrote: > After purchasing almost every book available on Iredell Co., I still > have been unable to locate the parents of Mary Ann Mills (20 Jan 1834 - > 25 Jan 1887) that married Archibald Bass (Jr.?) (22 Sept 1828 - 16 Dec > 1895) on 30 Aug 1849. She attended St. Michaels Lutheran Church before > transfering to Concord Presby. with her husband. I had originally > thought she was the dau. of one of Charles Nathaniel Mills' sons, but am > not so sure now. The men I have found at St. Michaels that are old > enough to be her father are William (Charles Nathaniel's William ??), > Abner, and Rufus. I cannot link these men to Charles Nathaniel's line. > Most of those Mills attended St. James Lutheran, but there is reference > made to C. N. in church records. I am up a brick wall here. Can anyone > help? > Thanks. > Janis Sherrill Ghrairi