This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Brown, Redding, Sparks Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.northcarolina.counties.wilkes/1953.2109.1.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Dear Bill, It was good to hear from you. I'm afraid I may not be of much help right now. I have hit many brick walls, since starting research. And then for the last few years, I haven't done much research due to marriage and a baby. I didn't figure the research would be that hard. While I was researching, I found out that my William Brown may not have been the son of James Brown, but maybe a brother or cousin. It's so hard to sort out all of the Willim Browns. It is amazing to think that genealogy work was being done in the '30s as it seems to all have disappeared. I have visited IN and found a ton of distant cousins, but I cannot seem to pin down what country they came from. I've heard rumors of England and Germany, but I've not heard about Northern Ireland. What information do you have about that? I do believe we are likely from the British Isles as the families we traveled with from NC to IN were. It's so hard for me to believe that no one out there knows. Especially s! ince they kept in contact so long--how could the Brown history just vanish. Well, I'm sorry that I haven't been of much help. I'd gladly share any information with you that I have. I have only traced the Browns back to NC. I have some land records and such for James and William Brown, and then some more records for when they moved to IN, but nothing before about 1775. If you have any info or find some out from our IN relatives, it'd be great if you'd let me know. Feel free to email me with any further questions or requests for info. Sarah Brown-Thoenes