In a message dated 08/01/2000 12:02:41 PM Central Daylight Time, PAYNE-D-request@rootsweb.com writes: << Alexander was born ca. 1837 in TN. According to census his father was born in VA and his mother in NC. >> this sounds a bit like that james paine of civil war fame. have you checked his family out and the site devoted to him and his brothers and sisters? ray lewis payne