Billy sent this note in another email. Martha, regarding your email re: Baltimore County, MD. I found a will and made a copy (which I can't find now) for Richard COWARD, made out I think in 1726/1727. A witness was Charles MARKLAND, who I suspect is the father of the Dobbs county MARKLAND. Charles Sr. married Mary COWARD so that may be a strong link to your Eastern NC COWARD family. I will find the will, scan it (once I load the drivers on the new PC) and send it on. Ruth and I tried to connect the William and Edward Coward families in Bertie and Dobbs and couldn't. THe older William in Bertie stayed and died there. THere is one small hint that William of Dobbs was the son of a William but we could find only one mention of him. Maybe he was out of Baltimore Co Martha