Hello, I am new to the list. I have been going through NC counties trying to find a family for my gggrandfather, Joseph Perry Jackson Dawson. All that I know about his parents and siblings is on the census: JPJ was b. in NC (ca. 1823-1826); his mother NC; his father MD. I recently came across the following information and hope that someone knows more about these families. In the 1840 Wake Co., NC census, there is a Catharine J. Dawson listed with: males: 1, 15-20 females: 1, 30-40 1840 Tax list - House Creek: 254 acres; $254 value; 0 - POL; 4 slaves; amt. $3.23 I found these marriages in a book of Wake Co., NC marriages and thought this might be her: Isaac Dawson to Catharine I. Warren, 3 March 1823 (William Moore bondsman) Daniel G. Rencher to Catherine J. Dawson, 24 Feb. 1841 (John M. Fleming bondsman) In "Abstracts of Records of Wills, Inventories and Settlements of Estates 1802-1812, Wake Co., NC, Vol. II" by Frances Holloway Wynne, I found this will: Isaac Dawson dated: 22 Oct 1787 Probated: 15 Feb. 1788 Wife: Ghesky Dawson son: William daughters: Mary Dawson, Nancy Dawson, Agnes Dawson, Sarah Dawson, Frances Dawson. Exec: William Dawson (father); Andrew Hartfield; wife Ghesky Dawson Rencher, John Grant will dated May 1812 wife: Nancy afflicted son: George sons: Nelson, Umstead, Daniel G., Abraham, William dau: Sarah Isaiah Johnson an orphan boy In some estate records, John G. Rencher is a guardian for a minor re: Isaac Dawson, dated Aug. 1808. Also, Dennis Grady (see marriage below) apparently took over as an executor of Isaac Dawson's estate in order to help his wife, Ghesky, widow of Isaac. There are references to that. There is also a reference to a Talitha Dawson, orphan of William Dawson, dec'd, with John Bledsoe as guardian. William was died before Feb. 1807 from what I can gather. In another book of marriages, a Ghesky Mickelroy married Isaac Dawson on 5 Jan. 1774 with William McKelroy as bondsman. Ghesky Dawson married Dennis Grady on 10 July 1788 with William Kilgo as bondsman. Also found these marriages: Agnes Dawson to William Bledsoe 18 Dec. 1800, Tiller Ship bondsman Francis Dawson to Joseph Delk 15 Sep 1804, Mark Gradie bondsman Sally Dawson to Harbert Smith 17 Dec. 1802, David Allen bondsman Tilitha Dawson to Joseph Rogers 22 Feb. 1817, James Speight bondsman Is anyone researching these families and know more about these Dawsons? In the earliest record I have of JPJ Dawson, he is enumerated in the household of Andrew Snell Hartzog in Lawrence Co., MS 1850 census. There are no other Dawsons in the county. I have checked surrounding counties and what Dawsons I have found were there too early to be his parents if his census info is to be believed -- that he was b. in NC ca. 1823-1826. He was also listed as a tanner. In 1856, he married one of Andrew's daughters, Amanda, and removed to Hunt Co., TX in 1860. Their children's names were: Alexander B. C. Dawson; Eugenia A.M.L. Dawson; Mary Elizabeth Dawson; JPJ, Jr; Amanda B. C. "Carrie" Dawson; Allina C. A. "Ally" Dawson. Some of the surnames associated with this family -- Warren, Speight, and others I have seen in Wake Co. are also in Lawrence Co., MS. Warrens married into the Daniel line which is Andrew's father-in-law. Thank you for your time and any help is appreciated. Teri Oaks VA