OK, Bob.........I probably started the use of the terms Northern and Southern and never intended anything about the civil war.....my usage was started to describe the location of Rainwaters before I knew of a Tennessee branch........My early research (1980's) was based on knowledge that John Rainwater came from VA to NC in 1735 or thereabouts and supposedly had sons John Jr; James; and William. From information supplied by real life "cousins" in KY, I followed my line through James b. 1736; William b.1774; then to John b 1811; his son Welcome Giles; Daniel Francis; and then my Mother, Ruth Rainwater b 1901.........The other children of John b. ca 1695 I did not follow but understood that their descendants went first to SC, the GA-AL-MS etc......... Thus my generalization of Northern/Southern.........nothing intended as the "split" occurred 60 years before the CW.......Also KY is, I think, south of the Mason-Dixon....and many residents fought for the South... With that said.......You are probably right, if people are offended, then some other indicator should be used. I would be more than pleased to use "Kentucky Rainwater's" or simply "descendants that migrated to KY by 1813" etc.........whatever's acceptable, and with apologies to any cousins that were offended.... Hal