Bebe, First, I will use a date or other identification to try to keep the JOSEPH JOHNS, WILLISES AND WILLIAMS apart which, as you know...is not easy. I could have your ancestor all wrong. I thought YOUR ALSTON was WILLIAM ALSTON b in Chatham County son of COL. JOSEPH JOHN ALSTON (b 1722) and his second wife, ELIZABETH CHANCY. MINE is: COL WILLIS ALSTON (1750-1819 Halifax Co, NC) was the son of another JOSEPH JOHN ALSTON (b 1702) AND HIS SECOND WIFE EUPHAN WILSON (daughter of WILLIS WILSON of the House of Burgesses and his wife Mary) According to my notes: MY COL WILLIS ALSTON was the HALF BROTHER of CAPT JOHN ALSTON. Do correct me if I am wrong on this. ====================================================== JOSEPH JOHN ALSTON (B ca 1702) m (1st)ELIZABETH CHANCY children (THE PERTINENT ONES) CAPT. JOHN ALSTON b ca 1718 Rev War, State Senate m.ANN HUNT MACON WILLIAM ALSTON b in Chatham Co (I thought THIS one was yours) ================================================== SECOND WIFE JOSEPH JOHN ALSTON (above) m 2nd EUPHAN WILSON (daughter of WILLIS WILSON of the House of Burgesses and his wife Mary) their son was my ancestor, COL. WILLIS ALSTON (1750-1819) M ELIZABETH WRIGHT ================================================== BUT it seems that CAPT JOHN ALSTON (half brother of my Willis)& wife ANN HUNT MACON had two sons whose names add confursion: WILLIS ALSTON (Congress) d. 1837 who married twice: PATTIE MOORE and SALLY MADELINE POTTS and COL JOSEPH JOHN ALSTON who married ESTHER WRIGHT, sister of ELIZABETH WRIGHT who married his uncle, my ancestor, COL WILLIS ALSTON. BEBE: please straighten me out. Is your ancestor WILLIAM or WILLIS and which one??? NO wonder we all get confused...there should be a law against naming children after one's half-brother...right???<G> Also marrying the sister of your half uncle's wife.... Trying to sort out the ALSTONS, Carole bebe wrote: Help, please! I keep getting confused about the Willis Alstons. Your Col. Willis was son of Joseph John Alston, (and which wf.?), of Halifax Co? Right? The Willis Alston educated at Harvard, Princeton or some other ivy league school, known as "Congress Willis" Alston, was the son of Capt. John Alston (son of Josp. John and Elizabeth Chancey) and his wf. Anne Hunt Macon? Right? "My" Lt. Col. Wm Alston, under Col. Jethro Sumner, son of Joseph John and Elizabeth Chancey, b. and lived most of his life in Halifax Co. He m. Anne Yeargain (NOT Anne's baby 1/2 sister Sarah Yancey Yeargain), dau. of Samuel Yeargain and his first wf., Anne Booth. Wm and Anne moved to Chatham Co., NC where he had been early Clerk of Ct. four times per year, traveling from Halifax to do so. Wm and Anne both died in Chatham, he testate, naming nephew Willis Alston as exuecutor. I THINK this was Congress Willis. This Willis was a grandson of Joesph John or would not have been a "nephew" of my Wm Alston. Anne Booth and Samuel Yeargain m. in Chesterfield Co., Va. in 1752, had baby Anne. Mother Anne died and Samuel moved to Northampton Co., NC, (Over 1,000 acres/deeds there) the wedge above the Roanoke River which became part of new Warren Co. in late 1770's. Samuel then m. Mary Gray, wid. of Christopher Clinch of Brunswick Co. Va. and therefore had stepdau., Elizabeth Clinch who m. Sugar Jones (proven by Samuel's 1785/6 will, Warren Co. Mary d. and Samuel m. Sarah Yancey, dau. of Jaconias and Hannah (Kimbrough) Alston of Halifax Co. NC. Their child, Sarah Yancey Yeargain m. Thomas Alston, no issue. Thanks for reading all this! Bebe Fox Winston-Salem, NC >>