This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: edwirvin Surnames: Irwins, Boyds Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.pennsylvania.counties.cumberland/5480/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Thanks Diane and John for your replies. The Pennsylvania origins of my Virginia Irvins is shrouded in mystery. Much of what I have is purely circumstantial. I am a primary source guy who tries to avoid the Lucinda Boyd drivel in "Irvines & Kin" and the other vanity "histories". But sometimes we have no other choice. The clue for me is the name Abraham used in conjunction with the names John, Christopher, and Andrew. Abraham is a relatively rare name for the Irwins. Bedford county, Virginia John had a son Abraham that was supposedly born on board the ship in the transit over from Ireland. A Christopher Erwin of neighboring Prince Edward county had sons Abraham, Andrew, William, Christopher, and daughter Margaret. Prince Edward Christopher died in the 1760's. One John Erwin was one of the executors named in the will. I suspect old John and deceased Christopher to be brothers but I cannot prove that yet. I have several sources for some Pennsylvania Irvins--some primary-! -some not so primary. Attached are some clues. Edwin http://www.usgwarchives.org/pa/1pa/paarchivesseries/series2/vol2/pass2-13.html http://wapedia.mobi/en/Middle_Spring_Presbyterian_Church Click on all the links to see some of the old references to John and Margaret Erwin. http://search.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=BookList&dbid=14524&offerid=0:7858:0 You may have to be an ancestry subscriber to read this one. I'm not sure. John married one Margaret Boyd? This may all be a stab in the dark and may be no relation to my kin at all. John and Margaret had other children besides Abraham.--Robert, Elizabeth, Nancy, (supposedly captured by indians, then rescued, shortly before the French and Indian war)Margaret, William, and John Jr. These children surely were baptized somewhere in Pa. I suspect my Irvins landed in Philadelphia about 1738? settled eventually in Cumberland, then moved to Virginia soon after Braddock's Defeat. Who knows? Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.