Hi everyone, I have discovered a 17 year old letter from a distant cousin which claims that my Bryants and Baileys came from Surry Co. NC and I am trying to obtain proof. If any of you recognize this information, I'd really appreciate hearing from you. My eldest proven ancestor, Gamaliel Bryant, is said in this letter to have been born in 1813 in Surry Co. NC, son of Alexander Bryant and Nancy Bailey. Nancy is said to be the daughter of Gamaliel Bailey and Elizabeth Johnson (dau. of Alexander Johnson). The letter says she finds Alexander Bryant in records of 1804 as witness to the will of Peter Bryant but not later. The writer presumes that Peter is Alexander's father. Gamaliel Bailey is said in the letter to be the son of Major Andrew Bailie of Ireland. Andrew supposedly came to Ft. Dobbs in 1756 and in 1762 began acquiring lands. Andrew died around 1776 per this letter. Gamaliel Bailey supposedly had a plantation on both sides of the Dan River that runs close to Mt. Airy where this Peter Bryant appears to have owned land. In my own research, I first find my Gamaliel Bryant in the 1840 Sevier Co. TN census married with children, 1850 in Cherokee Co. NC, 1860 in Monroe Co. TN, 1870 & 1880 in AR. He died in 1895 in AR. Census records indicate his state of birth as NC or TN. We have a journal kept by his granddaughter which has his exact date of birth as 2 May 1813, and a notation that his father was E. Alexander Bryant from "Irland". Names common in this family are William, Franklin, Johnson, Matthew, Selethia/Saletha, Elisha, Nancy, Levi, Simeon/Simon, Gamaliel, and Andrew. Gamaliel Bryant's first wife was Winifred (Apsala) Adams, dau. of Johnson Adams of Sevier Co. TN. She died and by 1854 he was married to Rebecca Dobkins, dau. of Johnson Dobkins of Sevier Co. TN. He had children by both wives. Gamaliel Bryant became a Baptist preacher sometime in the 1840's and according to the letter performed some marriages in Surry Co. NC about 1854/1855. In most records referring to him as a preacher he is referred to as G. Briant/Bryant or Elder G. Bryant/Briant. He was the active in the Baptist Church of Christ at Liberty in Cherokee Co. NC and I have copies of church minutes that show he and his extended family were excluded from the church in July 1853 "for disorderly conduct" and "leaving the church in disorder"...probably arguments over doctrine. He went on to found churches in AR in later years. Does anyone have access to any marriage records, will books, tax lists etc. of Surry Co. in which you might do a lookup for me on these Baileys and/or Bryants? Would sure appreciate the help. Thanks in advance for your time and assistance! Lorien Gunsallus