Narcissa and Kinson are both "brick walls". So far as I know, no one has yet discovered the parents of either, even though there is a fair amount of recorded information relating to them after 1840 and in spite of there being several researchers working on the mystery. I apologize in advance for the length of this posting and the cross posting to several lists. Any information, clues, guesses, etc. related to any of these people will be greatly appreciated. After more than 30 years of on again, off again searching - I'm about ready for a breakthrough. ------------------- Narcissa BECK was born 19 Sep 1827 in SC. The US Census shows her father as having been born in VA and her mother as being born in SC. Narcissa died 28 Apr 1907 and is buried, along with her husband in the Beulah Baptist Church Cemetery, Henderson Co., NC. [Note: Both of the following books, "The Heritage of Henderson County, North Carolina", Vol. I and "Henderson County, North Carolina Cemeteries", state that Narcissa was born in England. I suppose this is possible but it appears to me to be unlikely since she and her parents ware born in the US as shown on the Census.] About 1840 Narcissa BECK married Kinson MIDDLETON who was born 9 Feb 1816 in SC and died 12 Dec 1885. He is buried with her in Beulah Baptist Church Cemetery, Henderson Co., NC. [Note: I have a marriage date of 22 Apr 1841 but don't remember where I got it.] In 1840 Kinson and Narcissa's first child, Annbury, is born in SC. ("Henderson County, North Carolina Cemeteries") [Note: I have a birth date of 25 Apr 1842 but don't remember where I got it.] On 8 Nov 1841 - Kinson purchased from Alfred TURNER 100 acres of Land on Mush Creek in Upper Greenville Co., SC. [Note: The Rhoda MIDDLETON and Baylis MIDDLETON households are very near this farm and their ages indicate they may be his siblings.] On 24 Feb 1842 - Kinson Middleton and John W. McCARSON posted a bastardy bond in Henderson Co., NC because Kinston Middleton was charged with being the father of a bastard child of which Sarah BENNISON was the mother. On 24 May 1842 Kinson Middleton purchased from John W. McCARSON the items which would be needed to set up housekeeping. Items ranged from beds and other furniture to silverware, cattle, books, tools, two hundred weight of bacon and even a clock. (Recorded: Henderson Co., NC Deed Book 2, Pg. 264.) A subscribing witness to the transaction was Robert R. BECK. It appears to me that Kinson may have bought at an Estate Sale. Since another BECK was involved in the transaction, I think it is likely that either Narcissa's parents or some other of her relatives had recently died. On 13 Nov 1846 Kinson purchased from Penel GILREATH, for $250.00 cash, 100 acres on Mud Creek in Henderson Co., NC (Recorded Deed Book 4 Pg. 46) On 23 Dec 1847 Kinson Sold the above 100 acres on Mud Creek to James BRITON for $360.00. Subscribing witness was Nathan DRAKE. (Recorded Henderson Co, NC Deed Book 4 Pg. 37) [Note: both the purchase and the sale were recorded in 1848 with the sale being recorded first. The entry for the sale did not include a release of dower by Narcissa.] On 6 Sep 1855 Kinson sold the land on Mush Creek, Greenville Co., SC to Wilson TRAMMELL. Before 1864 Kinson and Narcissa moved to a place on Big Willow Creek in Henderson Co., NC from whence they moved to TN in 1864. [Note I don't know if they moved directly from SC to Henderson Co. because I haven't found them in either the 1860 or 1870 census records.] In 1864 they moved to Knoxville, Knox Co., TN, where they lived about 20 miles below town, for several years before returning to Henderson Co., NC. [Note: I have seen the figures of seven and twelve years] Three children married and remained in TN. (James W. Middleton to Martha G. King 10 Dec 1868; Nancy Middleton to Peter F. STALLINGS 12 Jul 1866; Susan S. Middleton to Benjamin KING 20 Sep 1868. They had a total of 15 children and, according to the 1850 census, at least the first eight were born in SC. Mary (Middleton) ORR, a daughter of Kinson and Narcissus Middleton, wrote a book entitled "The Experiences of a Soldiers Wife in the Civil War". I haven't located a copy of the original but a portion (possibly all) is included in "ORR and Related Families", Compiled by Bert J. Sitton. The booklet provides some possible clues related to Narcissus. 1. A Mrs. MATHERS, who lived about one half mile from Asheville (in 1864) knew Kinson and Narcissus and greeted Narcissus affectionately as "Sis"; a reasonable nickname for Narcissus. 2. On the way from Asheville, NC to Morristown, TN and somewhere between Marshall and Big Ivey they met an unnamed woman who warmly greeted Narcissus as "Sis". Mary says that the woman was "one of mother's schoolmates". [Note: I don't know where "Big Ivey" is located but it must be near where the French Broad River crosses the NC/TN state line. Probably Haywood Co., NC.] 3. In Knoxville, TN, a Col. John BAXTER vouched for the loyalty of the Middleton family. From the book "The Story of Henderson County" by: Sadie Smathers Patton, it seems that this is the same as Judge John Baxter of Henderson Co., NC (who once fought a duel at Saluda Gap). It is of interest that Narcissa and Kinson named their youngest son John Baxter Middleton (b 20 Jan 1864 m Matilda Shipman). [Note: I would like to know more of the relationship, if any, between Kinson Middleton and Judge Baxter. ** The 1830 NC Census counted three BECK families in Haywood Co. and two in Buncombe Co. The 1840 census counted four BECK families in Haywood Co., none in Buncombe Co. and one in Henderson Co. Henderson was formed out of Buncombe in 1838 so I believe the James BECK in Henderson Co. in 1840 is the same James BECK who was counted in Buncombe Co., in 1830. Kinson was counted in Henderson Co. in 1840 and living not very far from this James BECK. Living not very far from Jacob BECK in Haywood Co. in 1840 was a John MIDDLETON. In "Shadows of the Past: The Middleton and Related Families", Contact Mrs. Lucy W. Middleton, Tuckasegee, NC, it is written that a Thomas MIDDLETON came up from Pendleton Dist., SC and entered a land grant in Buncombe Co., NC with the date of April 1807. He later moved to Habersham Co., GA where he died in 1830. It appears that this Thomas was an ancestor of, or at least related to, the John MIDDLETON who first appears in the Haywood Co., NC census in 1820. This connects the Middletons in Haywood Co. with SC and possibly with the Middletons in Greenville Dist., SC Thanks, Dennis Smith hdennissmith@earthlink.net