On Fri, 2 Apr 1999 16:06:04 -0800, Hal Irving wrote: >Thanks susan, have never seen the "Martha" applied to Patsey. >(Mother)........Does this also mean that the Abraham that conducted the >marriage was her brother?? Or Uncle?? >Sorry don't mean to be trouble just confused at times....... Hi Hal - No trouble - I'm happy to help. She is called Patty in the family Bible. She is called Patsy in William's will and the 1830 and 1840 census records. She is called Marty in the 1826 marriage record of her son James. In the 1841 marriage record of her daughter Patsy to Tillman Davenport, Martha Rainwater is identified as the bride's mother, Abraham Rainwater as surety. In the 1843 marriage record of her daughter Elizabeth to Isaac Roberts, Patsy Rainwater is identified as the bride's mother, Abraham Rainwater as surety. Based on this evidence, and the fact that Patsy is frequently used as a nickname in the 19th century for Martha (as Polly is for Mary and Ann for Nancy), my conclusion is that her given name was Martha, but she was generally called Patsy. I didn't mean to imply that Abraham conducted the marriage, just that he was mentioned in the marriage records. I believe this to be her brother, because the theoretical uncle was not living in Pulaski Co. in the 1840 census. Best, Susan