In a message dated 9/30/98 4:49:39 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: << My ggggrandmother was Elizabeth Ratcliff, wife of Jonas Bradshaw. Elizabeth born 1758, m 1782, died after 1845. This according to pension papers. But who are her parents ? I have no clues. Dorothy Bradshaw >> ************************************************** Dorothy, Have you ever visited Donald Ratcliff's home page? It is http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Campus/1719/index.html I have not been researching this name in the Ratcliff family but you may find your Elizabeth listed in Clarence Ratcliff's Book. The book is presented in its entirety, in three parts which are suitable for downloading. I have downloaded this document and discovered that there were quite a few Ratcliffs who settled in Johnston Co., NC near Kinston. Perhaps your Elizabeth was a daughter of one of these men. I also found a listing in Part One, under (1J3B) John Ratcliff which goes as follows: (1J3B) John and family granted certificates of transfer from Contentnea MM to Cane Creek MM, 4 May 1772. (102b) 1 Aug 1772, Cane Creek MM received John Ratcliff from Contentnea MM (102c). 1 Aug 1772, Ann Ratcliff and daughters Sarah, Elizabeth and Ann received on Certificate from Lower Falling Creek MM and transferred to Cane Creek MM (102c). This sounds suspiciously like it could be your Elizabeth. If she were b. in 1758, she would be 14 in 1772 and still living with her parents. As you probably know, these Ratcliffs were Quakers and referred to themselves as "Friends." I don't know where this Friends Meeting House was located but at least it was in NC, somewhere in the vicinity of Kinston. Hope this helps. Frank Trowbridge Dum Spiro Spero!!