In a message dated 10/31/97 3:03:49 AM, larmil-1@worldnet.att.net wrote: << Roberta (and all), The first Federal census was taken in 1790. Prior to that there were "tax lists" and other such lists. The actual census for Orange county for 1790 was lost or destroyed. What we have that is called the 1790 census is actually a reconstruction from tax records. That makes it more likely that someone could have been in the county in 1790 and not be recorded. Prior to 1790 we have to rely on tax lists, deeds, wills, court record, church records etc. >> Hello Noah and all, There actually is a publication available at least in the State Archives, that is referred to as the 1787 Census of North Carolina. It was not as formal a census as the others, and again may not be as inclusive as we would like it to be, but I have found some family names there that were not in the "official" 1790 collection or compilation. John Fox Winston-Salam, NC ==== NCORANGE Mailing List ==== Larry Noah - lrnoah@bigfoot.com - Listowner - NCORANGE mailing list Orange Co, NC USGenWeb site is at http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncorange GENDEX at http://www.gendex.com/gendex/ has over 1400 databases on line