This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: edmorrill786 Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.pennsylvania.counties.york/15193.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I checked the Tax records in Monaghan Twp for William Diven. He first appears in 1811 unmarried. By 1813 he is married. He shows up in the tax records as Deven, Divin, Diven. He appears to be a land trading farmer he has a sawmill from 1815-1826 and a tanyard in 1829 and 1830. I did not look past 1830. He is called Esq. starting 1818 and off and on til 1830. In 1822-24 he is a representative to the PA State Legislature. Esq is thought to mean a higher social status in this application. In 1820 in the census he is Devan Esq and in 1830 he is William Divan. William Diven helped found Siddonsburg in York County. I found an article in the Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cumberland, York, and Adams Counties Pennsylvania originally edited by Samuel T. Wiley, Esq and published as second edition by C.A. Ruoff Co. 1897 Philadelphia and republished several years ago which states your Williams father is William of Scotch-Irish origin. He and 2 brothers came to the vicinity of C! arlisle, Cumberland County prior to 1775. He was a stone mason, ran the first ferry across the Susquehanna in that area and was in the Rev. war. Your William married Mary Nelson and had 3 children Samuel Nelson born Dec 13, 1813 who married or Sarah Ann Clark, Mary who married John Mateer and Jane who married Robert McCune. William died in 1868 near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1850 Pennsylvania census in Mercer County, Wolf Creek Twp we find William64, wife Rebecca 50, Robert N McCune 33, Jane E McCune 25 and William D. McCune 3. Send me your snail mail address at [email protected] and I will send you a copy of the article 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.