It has been well over a year since I posted this request so hopefully some new readers. For many years I have sought the parents of my great grandfather. I do not know their given names. I do not know if he had siblings. What I do know: John RICHARDSON was born 27May1819 near Hillsboro, N. C. He died 22March1909 in or near Church Hill Tennessee. He married Elizabeth Susannah Ellis of Church Hill, TN on 4July1846. They had eight children, four of whom lived to be adults and raised families of their own in Hawkins County Tennessee. Their children in order of birth were: John H. 1817-1817, Henry Ellis 1849-1923, Guy Hale 1853-1911, Nancy Jane (Roadman) 1856-1926, William 1857-1862, Robert R 1859-1864, John Wesley 1863-1951.(my grandfather) The first documentation I have of John was taken from the minutes of the Eagle Lodge in Hillsboro,NC. 5Dec1842 John was initiated as an Entered Apprentice. Five days later at a lodge meeting, he was raised two steps to Fellow Craft and Master Mason. He did not attend another meeting until 10Apr1843 and request his demit as he was going to the Western Country. My guess is he had been to Tennessee, found it would be advantageous to be a Mason and having some influence in Hillsboro, returned only for that purpose. He first went to Washington County and worked for the John H. Blair Co., a stage line, (pass along history said the Richardsons were in stage business in NC) First record I have of property purchased by John was 10July1846. He bought two town lots in Russellville, TN. At that time Jefferson County. He became postmaster of Russellville 7May1847. 1850 census shows John, Elizabeth and Henry living in Jefferson County, 13th district. John sold his Jefferson County property 16June1851. They moved to land owned by Elizabeth in Hawkins County. John had acquired other land from Elizabeth’s siblings. The 1860 census shows them in Hawkins County, 6th district, New Canton, TN. 1870 census is same location. The 1880 census gives NC as birth place of John’s father and mother. The 1900 census gives John’s father’s birthplace as Maryland and his mother’s as NC. I know all about John’s descendants. All his grandchildren are dead. Guy Hale’s son was Clarence Henry Richardson, the long time superintendent of Hawkins County schools. All John’s children were successful merchants, farmers and teachers. John and Elizabeth could read and write and gave land for the Church Hill Academy. It is just too unreasonable to not be able to locate the names of his parents. Any suggestions as to where I might find a clue would be appreciated

Dear charles and list: I have not only found it helpful, but have located many members of my family by researching the names of children I knew. Chances are that one of your John's children were named after John's father who almost had to be on the 1800 and maybe 1810 census in NC. (most families kept the same names over and over each generation) the 1800 census should have a family of Richardsons with "1 male under 10." which of course could be your John. sometimes you get more than one to chose from, but researching those names often brings to light another line (in other words, descendants of the family of John's brothers or uncles) who sometimes have all the information you want. Some of us have even come up with all the names recorded in a Bible that has been passed down through that lateral line and even a journal, letters, or other history. Logging on to GENFORUM is a place to interact with other Richardson researchers. If it were me, I'd research the names, Henry, william, Robert, Guy, and of course all Johns in that county. (Orange?)--- keeping in mind that Orange was once made up of Granville, and parts of Johnston, and maybe another county whose name I've forgotten. USGENWEB has that information about the shifting county lines online. Regards, Judith vinson [email protected] wrote: > > It has been well over a year since I posted this request so hopefully some > new readers. > For many years I have sought the parents of my great grandfather. I do not > know their > given names. I do not know if he had siblings. What I do know: John > RICHARDSON > was born 27May1819 near Hillsboro, N. C. He died 22March1909 in or near > Church Hill > Tennessee. He married Elizabeth Susannah Ellis of Church Hill, TN on > 4July1846. They > had eight children, four of whom lived to be adults and raised families of > their own in > Hawkins County Tennessee. Their children in order of birth were: John H. > 1817-1817, > Henry Ellis 1849-1923, Guy Hale 1853-1911, Nancy Jane (Roadman) 1856-1926, > William 1857-1862, Robert R 1859-1864, John Wesley 1863-1951.(my grandfather) > > The first documentation I have of John was taken from the minutes of the > Eagle Lodge in > Hillsboro,NC. 5Dec1842 John was initiated as an Entered Apprentice. Five > days later at > a lodge meeting, he was raised two steps to Fellow Craft and Master Mason. > He did not > attend another meeting until 10Apr1843 and request his demit as he was going > to the > Western Country. My guess is he had been to Tennessee, found it would be > advantageous > to be a Mason and having some influence in Hillsboro, returned only for that > purpose. > > He first went to Washington County and worked for the John H. Blair Co., a > stage line, > (pass along history said the Richardsons were in stage business in NC) First > record I have > of property purchased by John was 10July1846. He bought two town lots in > Russellville, > TN. At that time Jefferson County. He became postmaster of Russellville > 7May1847. > 1850 census shows John, Elizabeth and Henry living in Jefferson County, 13th > district. > John sold his Jefferson County property 16June1851. They moved to land owned > by > Elizabeth in Hawkins County. John had acquired other land from Elizabeth’s > siblings. The > 1860 census shows them in Hawkins County, 6th district, New Canton, TN. 1870 > census > is same location. The 1880 census gives NC as birth place of John’s father > and mother. > The 1900 census gives John’s father’s birthplace as Maryland and his > mother’s as NC. > > I know all about John’s descendants. All his grandchildren are dead. Guy > Hale’s son was > Clarence Henry Richardson, the long time superintendent of Hawkins County > schools. > All John’s children were successful merchants, farmers and teachers. John > and Elizabeth > could read and write and gave land for the Church Hill Academy. It is just > too > unreasonable to not be able to locate the names of his parents. Any > suggestions as to > where I might find a clue would be appreciated > > ==== NCORANGE Mailing List ==== > List Administrator - Larry Noah [email protected] > List Web Site - http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~lrnoah/NCOrange/