In an effort to locate the parents of my Abner Pace (orphaned and apprenticed at age 16 in Guilford Co., NC in 1837), we hired a professional genealogist in Guilford Co., NC. This is what she reports for the Guilford census Paces: 1800 - JOSEPH PACE - age probably over 45, and 3 sons born between 1774 and 1784. 1810 - no PACEs in Guilford Co. NC 1815 Tax List - no PACEs shown in Guilford 1820 WILLIAM PACE, age 45+ (b.abt 1775). In this household there are 3 sons, ages 26-25 (b.1794-1804) and 2 sons ages 0-9 (b.1810-1820). Also 5 young daughters. Census is alphabetical so cannot know the neighbors. William Pace is gone by 1830. 1830 PATSY PACE - age 50-59 (perhaps wife of above William Pace). Now shows 5 young females (probably the same females as the 5 in 1820 home of William Pace) There are younger male and females in this 1830 census (younger than 4) and Patsy is probably too old to be their mother. Probably one or two of the females in the 20-29 age bracket are the mothers of these young children. 1830 DAVID PACE - age 40-49 (b.1780-1790) - one son age 5-9 (1820-1825) and 2 other sons ages 0-4 (b.1820-1825) and 3 young daughters. Neighbors are Armfields. David Pace (b.1780-1790) is gone by 1840. The children would fit for my Abner Pace (b. 1821-22) 1830 ABSALOM PACE - age 40-49 (1780-1790) - one son age 0-4 (1825-1830) and one young daughter. Neighbors also Armfields in northwest Guilford Co., namely Oak Ridge Township, adjacent to Rockingham Co. NC Absalom Pace is gone by 1840. The conclusion drawn by the Guilford genealogist was that probably William, Absalom, and David Pace were the sons of Joseph Pace household in 1800. 1840 - no Paces shown in Guilford Co., NC 1850 - ZILTHA/ZELPHA PACE - age 50 (b.1800 in Chatham Co.) living with her "idiotic" son DAVID PACE, age 16 (b.1834). This is in the Southern Div. of Guilford Co., NC. Next door to Ziltha/Zelpha Pace is Isaac Armfield (cabinet maker) and his apprentice YOUNG PACE, age 15 (b.1835). This Young Pace, plus his apparent brother Needham Pace, will take Ziltha/Zelpha Pace and her son David with them to Mecklenburg Co., NC by 1860, and she lives with Young Pace there. Does anyone know the names of the children of DAVID PACE (B.1780-1790) from the 1830 census? I think it is likely that his wife was Zeltha/Ziltha (perhaps Sarah?) Pace, and that these were the parents of my ABNER PACE (b.1821-22). He must have maintained contact with Young Pace in Mecklenburg, because Young Pace had a son named Abner. Probably Young Pace and my Abner Pace were brothers, or at least cousins. Young Pace went to Mecklenburg Co. NC after his apprentice bond was over, and my Abner Pace married Julia Ann Reed and moved to Rowan Co., NC. Betty Pace - Norfolk, VA ___________________________________________________________________ Get the Internet just the way you want it. Free software, free e-mail, and free Internet access for a month! Try Juno Web: http://dl.www.juno.com/dynoget/tagj.