Dear all, A couple of days ago I posted an email concerning Narcissa BECK ( b 1827 SC) md (1842 Henderson Co, NC) Kinson MIDDLETON (b 1817 SC). While compiling it, I stumbled onto something that may be a big clue. (Or it could be just another blind alley.) I want to throw it out to you and see if anyone has any thoughts, suggestions, additional clues, etc. Kinson MIDDLETON who was born 9 Feb 1816 in SC and died 12 Dec 1885 in Henderson Co., NC married, about 1840, Narcissa BECK who was born 19 Sep 1827 in SC and died 28 Apr 1907 in Henderson Co., NC. From about 1841 until they sold the farm in 1855, they lived in Upper Greenville Co., SC on Mush Creek near the families of Rhoda Middleton and Baylis Middleton. Their homes were also quite near that of Richard GOODLETT. The significance of this is that Richard GOODLETT was a grandson of Robert GOODLETT (b 1720 Scotland d 1804 in Spartanburg Co., SC) who married about 1750 Nancy Ann MIDDLETON (d 1818 Spartanburg Co., SC ). Richard GOODETT's parents were William GOODLETT (b 20 Aug 1760 Frederick Co., VA d Jun 1836) and Nancy HOOPER. (William was a Lt. in the American Revolution) I have been told that the Goodletts, along with some other Goodlett and Middleton families moved from Frederick Co., VA to Spartanburg Co., SC in 1774 and that Nancy Ann Middleton was a daughter of a Thomas Middleton. This information I have been kicking around for about three years feeling that ancestors of the Middletons on Mush Creek came from Frederick Co., VA along with the Goodletts. The Goodlett information is probably pretty solid based on William's having been granted a pension. The latest mini-revelation resulted from reading the following in "Shadows of the Past: The Middleton and Related Families", Contact Mrs. Lucy W. Middleton, Tuckasegee, NC. "The earliest Middleton of Western North Carolina was Thomas who came up from the Pendleton District of South Carolina, WITH ANDREW HOOPER, BROTHER OF ABSALOM AND CLEMMONS [emphasis mine]. He entered 100 acres of land for 55 shillings in Buncombe County with a date of entrance of April 1807. It was Land Grant 2252. He along with his wife Deborah Horry Middleton remained on the property until March 4, 1820 at which he sold it to Mr. Henson Queen for $30.00. . ." These HOOPERs were Uncles of the Richard Goodlett on Mush Creek! (His mother's brothers.) Among items I found on the internet is a summary of an annotated transcription of the Federal Pension File of Absalom HOOPER ((c) 1999 by a.c. goodwin) A copy of the file costs $33.00 but is probably well worth it since she says that it took eight years for the widow to provide enough evidence to secure a widow's pension. In the summary she says that Absalom enlisted in the SC Line. After the war he lived first in GA and then in Upper South Carolina and finally in Haywood (now Jackson) County, NC. From the HOOPER-L archives (posted by BreckCombs@aol.com) comes information that Thomas HOOPER b abt. 1747, Lunenburg Co., VA, third child of Obediah and Massilva Hooper died 18 Jul 1826 at the home of his sister Nancy GOODLETT in Greenville Co., SC. There are other items on the internet which provide similar information. What have I shown? The Middleton Families on Mush Creek are almost certainly connected to the Goodletts on Mush Creek. The Goodletts on Mush Creek are definitely related to the Andrew HOOPER who was traveling with Thomas Middleton when he came to Buncombe Co., NC in 1807. The Hoopers came from VA to SC then to Haywood Co, NC. A recent posting by ikwebster@mindspring.con related to a Thomas Middleton and contained references to Lunenburg Co., VA. Perhaps these Middletons were traveling with the Hoopers of Lunenburg Co., VA. Perhaps this Thomas is the same Thomas who went to Buncombe Co., NC in 1807. Thanks, Dennis Smith hdennissmith@earthlink.net