James, I'll send this information to the McDonough Co. Historical Society and add a query to see if anyone around might know something. They just came out with their News Quartely so it won't be until the next one. I'll check with Western Illinois University IRAD also when I get a chance to get over to Macomb. It's 150 west of here so have to plan a trip when convienent as we both still work. How can I get copy/ies of what you found on the two deeds? Thank you for all the conversing with me on my ancestors. Kathleen (Stoneking) Cooper in Rantoul, IL ----- Original Message ----- From: JamesSmee@aol.com<mailto:JamesSmee@aol.com> To: PYLE-L@rootsweb.com<mailto:PYLE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2004 9:55 PM Subject: [PYLE] Lewis = Joshua PILES (1850 Greene Co PA) To Kathleen COOPER: Late last year there was some discussion regarding the enumeration of "Lewis" PILES [age 45, born PA] in 1850 Perry Twp, Greene Co PA. I offered my speculation that "Lewis" was, in fact, the known son Joshua of Zachariah PILES of Monongalia Co VA/WV. Over the Christmas holiday, I had a chance to go to the Greene Co PA courthouse and learned some things. 1. There is no entry for a Lewis PILES/PYLES/PYLE in any Greene Co land, probate, birth, death, or Orphans' Court record. 2. There are some land records for Joshua PILES "of Perry Twp, Greene Co PA" and Mary, "his wife". The latest of these are two deeds from 1850 wherein they are selling land. It is significant that in both instances, they appeared at the court house to acknowledge the deeds. That tells us that Joshua and Mary were residents of Greene Co, specifically of Perry Township, well into 1850, such that we would have expected them to show up in the 1850 census. (They didn't, but "Lewis" and Mary did.) 3. There is no record of this family after 1850, consistent with the idea that they migrated to McDonough Co IL, or thereabouts about that time. Your ancestor Lavina PIALS (PILES) married there in 1851. Her spouse (STONEKING) had emigrated from Greene Co PA a few years before that. Kathleen, I don't think there's any doubt that Lavina's father was this Joshua. I am hoping you, or a contact you mentioned, will have a chance to do a similar search in McDonough Co IL court records to see if JOSHUA PILES makes an appearance there around 1850 or 1851. Would thoroughly enjoy reading a posting about what you might learn there. Best wishes, Jim Smee Pittsburgh PA