Jim, No, the 1840 census will not give birthplaces. However!!!! I just found something this past week I've never seen before. John's (John Patterson, born circa 1767 and married Margaret Black of SC) daughter Amey Jane Patterson Kincaid was listed in the 1880 census in Fannin Co., Ga. She was about the only child of John and Margaret's that was still living in 1880, that I know of. IT SAYS HER MOTHER AND FATHER WERE BOTH BORN IN SOUTH CAROLINA. That is the first clue that I've ever seen in any public document that said where John Patterson (b. ca. 1767) was born. Now, I know that some census documents have errors in them, but you have to start somewhere, and this is a BIG find for me. I'm sure someone else along the way has seen it before, but I had not. So, based on that, I am even more convinced that there is a tie between our John Patterson and the ROBERT PATTERSON that died in York Co., SC (the old Craven County, SC) in 1791. I BELIEVE THAT THIS OLDER ROBERT PATTERSON WAS THE GRANDFATHER OF OUR JOHN PATTERSON. Let me send you some of the emails that cropped up on a "new" email list called Patterson Genealogy NC that is for Pattersons of the SC, NC, Ga region. These emails gave quite a description of this older Robert Patterson who lived from about 1727 to 1791. His wife was named Sarah, and they had at least 7 children (4 sons and 3 daughters). There may have been more than one grandson named John, so we have to be careful trying to determine who John's father was. But we DO know that the oldest son of Robert was named Thomas, born ca 1748, who had a son named John Patterson, who was born in SC about 1766. Ring any bells????? I'll forward the emails to you, Jim. If anyone else wants to see them as well, just let me know. Thanks. Wes http://wespatterson.com/gen.html Jim Patterson wrote: > Hi Wes,Sure, I would be happy to have my name added. Unfortunately I > have not done anything in a long time. However, I keep saying I would > like to get started again. Maybe having some other people to go to > will give me a kick start. - John Patterson- Joseph- William- Silas > Mercer- Elijah Lawrence- Silas Minter- James Lawrence (me) Would the > 1840 census data tell us where John Patterson was born? Also I would > like to find something to be able to make the big jump back to > Europe. Of course I imagine everyone would like to be able to do > that. Thanks for all the info, Jim >