This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/Qi3.2ACIB/18.24.1.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: The John Norton tax record from 1788 refers to John Norton who lived and died 1814 in Bourbon, KY. Visit www.nortonfamily.net for all the details. Fletcher and Wesley is used in this family frequently (almost exclusively). There are two possible explanations. 1) This family was very close to the Methodist church. John Wesley is of course, the founder in England. Fletcher is another famose methodist in England. The use of Fletcher here is quite tenuous, but Wesley is common with the family in my line, (David Norton Jr, John Wesley, Henry Fletcher) with James Nortons family and with William Nortons family in SC. 2) The second reason the family may use Fletcher relates to a possible link with England. The father of this family in VA was known as Christopher. However, none of his children named anyone Christopher. Family traditions point to Capt William Norton as the father and he used Christopher as a disguise. His sons kept his history and name secret, but the grandsons gave use a lot of clues. Fletcher Norton, speaker of the house of commons during the Revolution was Capt William Norton's brother. Capt William himself was Capt King George's personal yaght. If this is true, they had a mighty reason for hiding his true identity. John Norton of Bourbon and his brother James were very close. James was very active in KY as an Indian fighter and I think he lost his first wife to Indians. I know fromthe census records there is an oldest son, but we have never had a name. James lived deep in Eastern KY. The relationship of names is very close for our families. The 1st son of James is a very good fit. South Carolina. One of the Norton brothers, William settled in Horry, SC his decnedents mostly stayed in Marion, SC next door. Do you know where the Owen family comes from in SC? In VA at this time, there is a Norton family in Loudon until 1790, Fluvanna until 1788, Rockingham until 1788, John Hatley Norton on the coast and another in Pittslyvania. I am familiar with the Rockingham, Fluvanna, John Hatley and Loudon Norton families. Of these the only place I can fit your John Norton is the oldest son of James, but it is a perfect fit. He may not of used his mothers name because she was gone almost immediately and he was raised by Sarah Spencer Norton, wife of John Norton and by James new wife. Mary Norton is the matriarch of this family, married to Christopher/Capt William? She lived to be very old and was a big influence on the family. I estimate the father died around 1788 possible in Bourbon, KY or Fluvanna , VA. Everything is quiet about this father. Although his 5 sons all fought in the Revolution, he is not mentioned. Patrick Henry gave him a land bounty in Fluvanna almost certainly for his war effort and he lived 10 miles from Thomas Jefferson. The father is a great enigma at this point, but we are closing on him. Lincoln County is southern middle TN. Any reason for a Norton from Bourbon, Greenup KY to go down there? Scott Norton