This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/HSB.2ACE/3.5 Message Board Post: Hi Marjie, I'm also trying to determine the parentage of my 4th GGfather, Isaac Davis, b 4/22/1805, Bladen Co. Some have said he is a descendant of a "Sampson Davis" of whom you inquire, but I don't know what is the relationship - son or gson, if any. Also, I have seen the pension application (P.A.) you've submitted to Rootsweb.com (reference: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/nc/bladen/military/samdapen.txt) and I wish to thank you for much information you already have shared. Repeatedly the name "Sampson" Davis is used in the P.A., however the 1790 census of Bladen Co. (reference: ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/nc/bladen/census/1790cens.txt) lists a "Samson" Davis as a resident. Please note the spelling without the "p". Would you know if these two could be the same? If I follow the lineage of Isaac, there is a grandson (my G uncle) by the name of Isaac Samson Davis buried at Oak Grove cemetery in Bladenboro which seems to link these two, Isaac and Samson - because the spelling is correct with the census report, but I'm not sure of the Sampson connection unless the spelling was wrong on the P.A. My theory is that the spelling is wrong in the P.A., because evidence shows Samson could not read nor write, but placed! his "X" at a name which was to indicate him, same with Ruth. However, it seems the P.A. was written using the more commonly known "Sampson" instead. Do you know for certain if the P.A. spelling is correct and do you have any information on Isaac's parentage or siblings? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Keith