Hi Everyone, Here's some exciting new info that I wanted to share. Conrad Dotterer (Dutterer) of Adams Co., PA, died 18 Jan 1808. In his will he leaves property to each of his children, and including the children of 2 deceased daughters (Elizabeth and Margaret). I've located info in Columbiana Co., OH, that provides info about the heirs of both Elizabeth and Margaret. I descend from Conrad Dotterer's daughter Julianna who married Frederick Sponseller and moved to Columbiana Co., OH. In the course of researching another family line, George & Anna Maria (Shaffer) Messerly of Frederick Co., MD, and later Columbiana Co., OH, I ran across deed language that also identified them as heirs of Conrad Dotterer. Thus I have a double connection to Conrad Dotterer via 2 daughters. Additional documents suggest that Elizabeth Dotterer married a Shaffer and provide possible surnames for Margaret Dotterer's husband. During the April 1823 term of the Columbiana Co. Court of Common Pleas, George Messerly et al filed a petition against John Shaffer et al to partition the property amongst the heirs of Conrad Dotterer's 2 deceased daughters (Columbiana Co. OH Probate Ct. record 666 CP 1-130). This document names the following heirs but does not identify their respective mothers: 1. George Messerly 2. George Messerly and Mary his wife 3. John Shaffer (Shaeffer) 4. Michael Ouler & Catharine his wife (their name is Yowler and possibly Euler) 5. David Mattis and Rachel his wife (their name is Mathias and Matthias) 6. Jacob Maxwell & Mary his wife (their name is Mikesell and Meixell) 7. Margaret Painter (her name is Bender) This petition contains several surname spelling errors as noted above. The Messerly's were living in Columbiana Co., OH, at the time of the petition. All other heirs were living in Frederick Co., MD. The Messerly's are listed twice because they owned 2 shares of the inheritance. In Oct. 1811, Jacob & Elizabeth Shaffer sold their share of the estate to George Messerly, all of Frederick Co., MD. (Columbiana Co., OH, deed Vol. 2, pp. 518-520). This deed further identifies Elizabeth, wife of Jacob Shaffer, as the daughter and one of the heirs of the deceased daughter Elizabeth. This is the only deed I've found that specifically connects any of the heirs to either Elizabeth of Margaret. Ancestry.com lists a Frederick Co., MD marriage record for Jacob & Elizabeth (Shafer) Shafer on 27 Aug. 1810. The LDS Church's IGI file gives a date of 19 Aug 1810 for Jacob & Elisabeth (Shafer) Shafer. It seems reasonable to conclude that the other Shaffer heirs also are children of Elizabeth (Dotterer) Shaffer. I don't know the name of Elizabeth's husband. The identified children of Elizabeth (Dotterer) Shaffer are therefore: 1. Anna Maria Shafer aka Mary & Polly. m. George Messerly 17 Dec. 1801, Fred. Co., MD. 2. Catherine Shafer m. Michael Yowler, 16 Sept. 1809, Fred. Co., MD. (IGI gives 17 Sept 1809) 3. Elizabeth Shafer m. Jacob Shafer, Aug 1810, Fred. Co., MD. 4. John Shafer m. Eve. I have not been able to locate marriage records for the Bender, Mathias, and Mikesell heirs. Additional deeds provide more usable info: In Nov. 1835 John & Eve Shaeffer of Montgomery Co., OH sold their inheritance to George Messerly (Columbiana Co., OH, deed Vol. 23, pp. 509-510). In Apr. 1824 David Mathias (and Rachel his wife) and Margaret Bender sell part of their inheritance to Solomon Crouse (Columbiana Co., OH, deed Vol. 9, pp. 43-44). In Apr. 1824 Jacob Mikesell (and Ann Maria his wife) and Margaret Bender sell part of their inheritance to Henry Sponseller (Columbiana Co., OH, deed Vol. 8, pp 521-522). In Sept 1829, David Mathias and Rachel sell part of their inheritance to John Fellnagle (Columbiana Co., OH, deed Vol. 12, pp 513-514). Eventually, George Messerly owned all properties inherited by any of the above Shaffers. This may be due in part to the fact that the "Shaffer" properties were consecutively numbered by the court and thus located, adjacent to and, one after the other. I do not know if Margaret Bender is unmarried or widowed. It is interesting to note that Margaret Bender appears as a grantor on deeds with both the Mathias and Mikesell families. This suggests a possible sibling connection between these three families and, by process of elimination, they might be heirs of Margaret Dotterer. Please note that I have found no solid evidence as to this connection. It is interesting to note that the Will of David Mathias (dated May 16, 1861, probated Apr 11, 1864, Carroll Co., MD) mentions that part of his property is adjacent to property owned by Jacob Mikesele. The Mathias will further mentions that part of David Mathias' property previously was part of the Benter Farm. If Benter is a spelling variation of Bender, determining how David Mathias came to own the Benter Farm (or part thereof) could be extremely valuable. I can't help but wonder if Jacob Mikesell also owns part of the Benter Farm? If anyone has info on the above families, I would greatly appreciate receiving an email. Thank you very much. [email protected] Spelling variations include Mixell, Messerley, Schaffer, Schafer _________________________________________________________________ The new MSN 8: advanced junk mail protection and 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail