Charles, Thanks for the information on Vacant Land entries. I had found Mr. Enoch's book and the land entry I was looking for but your added information about the Tax lists is enlightening. I had been looking for a Thomas Blackshare's first land entry for a long time and finally found it. I now wonder how long he had been there before this entry because he first shows up on the 1778 Tax list. . . "Rowan Co., NC Vacant Land Entries 1778-1789 by Richard A. Enochs Jun 19, 1778 - # 915 - Thomas Blackshare enters 350 ac. in Rowan Co. in forks of Yadkin River . . . border on N & W of Wilcoxson's deeded land, S. by William Patterson & Elias Lovelace's claim, on N. by Hunting Creek & Elias Lovelace's Spring Br. being part of Wilcoxson's survey. Now previous entry for 24 Mar 1778 shows #631 William Patterson 640 A on both sides of Hunting Cr, & bounded by Thomas Blacksher, Henry Johnston, John Brandon, Samuel McCollum, James Cal[d]well, James Andrew. So, Thomas Blackshare was already on the land previous to his own entry. Then, 27 May 1779 #2220 - Bazil Gather - 150 A. on Hunting Creek waters & road from main road to Thos. Blackshear. 29 Jan 1780 - #2418 - Thomas Blackshare - 150 A. on waters of Hunting Creek on S. & W. sides of an entry made by Elias Lovelace. By 1784, Thomas Blackshare moved on to Georgia and James Ratledge Sr., newly arrived in the fall of 1785 from Kent Co., DE settled on his land. There is no deed that I've found between these two. Then in 1787, Deed BK 11, James Ratledge rec'd grant #1471 from State of NC, purchasing 340 acres adj. James Taylor, Wm. Patterson and "his own deeded land" on the W.side of Hunting creek. In Oct. of 1786, Deed BK 11 shows that Wm. Patterson, purchased 478 A on both sides of Hunting Cr, adj. James Rutledge (formerly Thos. Blackshares, James Taylor, James Patterson, William Johnston, Henry Johnston, Samuel McCullum, James Caldwell, James Andrews and James Wallace. This Thomas Blackshear remains a mystery to the Blackshear researchers also. I would just like to know why my James Ratledge Sr. sold land in Kent Co., DE in 1784 to Thomas Blackshear jr. who had no known children and then ends up in Rowan Co., NC in 1785 on land that belonged to another Thomas Blackshear. I continue to search for the answers. Happy Holidays All! Pamela Geisler Smith Gresham, OR