Recently I had an inquiry from Sam T Pait regarding a Stephen Pate/Pait b abt 1809 in NC, perhaps Robeson co and was later in Bladen Co NC. My response to Sam follows- Sam I have some unproven information on a Stephen Pate b NC 1809 that indicates that he was a son of David Pate and Elizabeth Howell. The earliest he would have shown up in a census record as a head of house household would have been 1830 at age approx 21. The name Stephen Pate does not appear as a head of household in the 1830 census of NC. In 1840 he would have be about age 31. There were 3 men named Stephen Pate enumerated as head of household in the 1840 census of NC. Two were in Wayne Co., one at page 210 and the other at page 211. The third Stephen Pate was in Robeson Co, page 224. Stephen Pate page 224 Robeson Co - 3 people in household as 1 w/m age less than 5, 1 w/m age 30-40 and 1 w/f age 30-40. This enumeration has the strongest possibility of being the Stephen Pate in question. Stephen Pate page 210 Wayne Co Waynesboro - 4 people in household as 1 w/m age 15 to 20, 1 w/m age 20 to 30, 1 w/m age 30 to 40 and 1 w/f age 30 to 40. Stephen Pate page 211 Wayne Co New Hope - 2 people in household as 1 w/m age 20 to 30 and 1 w/f age 20 to 30. In 1820 the name David Pate does not appear in the census of NC In 1830 the name David Pate does not appear in the census of NC In 1840 there was a David Pate enumerated in Bladen Co The 1850 census, as you know, was the first census to list the names of individuals enumerated in each household. In 1850 Stephen Pate born 1809 would have been about age 41. In the 1850 census of NC there were 2 households with a Stephen Pate named as head of household: Stephen Pate Wayne Co page 182- Stephen Pate age 26 b ca 1824 Stephen Pate Wayne Co page 183- Stephen Pate age 31 b ca 1819 There was a Stephen Pate enumerated in 1850 in Bladen Co, page 108, - Stephen Pate age 13 in the household of David Hester In 1860 Stephen Pate b 1809 would have been about age 51 heads of households- Stephen Pate age 24 Bladen Co page 292 b ca 1836 Stephen Pate age 41 Wayne Co page 849 b ca 1819 In the 1850 census there were two other Stephen Pate households. One in Claiborne Parish, LA and one in Stewart Co, GA. The Stephen Pate in LA was age 37 born in TN. The Stephen Pate in GA was Stephen Swinney Pate age 30 b in GA. Finally there was a Stephen Pait age 22 b AL enumerated in 1850 in Morgan Co AL. Joel