Shirl, Another comment on the Orange Co NC - Sumner Co TN connection: You sent a deed wherein Isaac PYLE (this spelling; presumably the son of James, Senior) bought 130 acres on Big Creek of Haw River from a Joseph SILLIVAN in 1798. In 1805, Isaac sold the same tract (same description in the deed) to James PYLE, Junior (presumably his brother). These deeds are important for this reason: The land is noted in both deeds to be part of a William SMOTHERS grant, and John SMOTHERS is noted to own bounding property. This increases the likelihood in my mind that PILESs and SMOTHERSs migrated together from Orange Co NC (where they appears as neighbors in these deeds) to Sumner Co TN (where two PILESs married two SMOTHERSs, in 1825 and 1833). Seems pretty likely that Isaac PILES/PYLE who surfaces in Smith and Sumner Co TN by 1820 was the same Isaac who disappeared from Orange County NC sometime after 1805. Jim Smee Pittsburgh PA