Charleston has death records dating back to the mid-19th century. Microfilm copies of death records are available from the Family History Library through 1886, and death certificates are available from the state Dept. of Health & Env. Control from 1915 to the present. Can someone tell me where I can obtain copies of Charleston death certificates for the period of 1887 to 1915? Mark Lomax Pasadena, CA

FYI on Evans family. I'm not researching this line but thought I would pass this along to you. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Archives" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2004 3:29 AM Subject: [GAMCDUFFIE] Ga-Bibb-Mcduffie Co. Obituary (Evans) > > Bibb-Mcduffie County GaArchives Obituaries.....Evans, James E. May 18 1886 > ************************************************ > Copyright. All rights reserved. > http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm > http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ga/gafiles.htm > ************************************************ > > File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: > Carla Miles http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00010.html#0002476 September 8, 2004, 3:29 am > > The Marion County Patriot, May 28, 1886 > The Marion County Patriot, No. 22 > Friday, May 28, 1886 > Page Eight > > Georgia News > > Rev. James E. Evans died very suddenly at Thomson Tuesday night, the 18th, and > his remains were brought to Macon for burial. > > > File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ga/bibb/obits/e/ob5327evans.txt > > This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ > > File size: 0.8 Kb > > > > ==== GAMCDUFF Mailing List ==== > VISIT THE GA-McDUFFIE WEBPAGE AT: http://www.rootsweb.com/~gamcduff > > GAGenWeb, USGenWeb > > ============================== > Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 > >

In a message dated 9/17/2004 10:53:37 AM Central Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: Hi you can also create a folder and name it whatever you want as part of your favorite places. Delorra Thank you friend. I am told that I can FORWARD the letter to myself about every 3 weeks. Not sure what the 3 weeks has to do with it. Gratefully Harold Fisher

Is anyone out there working on the early Evans who petitioned for land grants ca. 1737+ and settled in the land along the Pee Dee River set aside for the Welshmen and their families in old "St. David's Parish/Old Cheraw Dist/ Marlboro/Darlington/Chesterfield? I am just trying to establlish who belonged to who. The names will drive you crazy.. Thomas, Nathaniel, John, Samuel, etc. I have a Mary , who came as a widow, ca. 1737 or so,, and a Nathaniel that stopped in the first area of Catfish (present day Marion Co.) , and didn't move futher up the river with the other group that left. I am descended from a William Evans, wife Ann.. and would like to establish who his father was. Thanks. JOanne Harley NC [email protected]

Joanne, could we have some dates on your William and Ann Evans. My General William Evans and Sarah ANN Godbold were married in 1827. I think these Evanses were in Marion County, S.C. This William's father was Nathaniel Evans and wife Elizabeth Anna Rogers. Freda >Is anyone out there working on the early Evans who petitioned for land >grants ca. 1737+ and settled in the land along the Pee Dee River set aside >for the Welshmen and their families in old "St. David's Parish/Old Cheraw >Dist/ Marlboro/Darlington/Chesterfield? I am just trying to establlish who >belonged to who. The names will drive you crazy.. Thomas, Nathaniel, John, >Samuel, etc. I have a Mary , who came as a widow, ca. 1737 or so,, and a >Nathaniel that stopped in the first area of Catfish (present day Marion Co.) >, and didn't move futher up the river with the other group that left. I am >descended from a William Evans, wife Ann.. and would like to establish who >his father was. >Thanks. >JOanne Harley >NC >[email protected] > > >==== SC-Genealogy Mailing List ==== >South Carolina GenForum Page >http://genforum.genealogy.com/sc/ > >============================== >You can manage your RootsWeb-Review subscription from >http://newsletters.rootsweb.com/ -- Researching my Southern Families: Roberson/Robertson/Robinson,Bonner, Blakely,Wright, Sills, Thornton, Canterbury, Godbold, Solomon, Pate, Grice, Herron, Regan, Sims, Boles, Jones.

You can forward the email to yourself about every 3 weeks which would keep it in your current mailbox. I would also save it in a permanent file just in case you forget and it is deleted. Donna

Hi you can also create a folder and name it whatever you want as part of your favorite places. Delorra

In a message dated 9/17/2004 11:04:57 AM Eastern Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: We use AOL for our E Mail. After I read my mail, I sometimes mark a letter as HOLD AS NEW. Then I go back and reread it, sometimes several times. Is there any trick to tagging such as letter as RETAIN PERMANENTLY IN THE LETTER BOX? I realize that I could send the letter to a file for holding purposes, but I would like to be able to have the letter flash before me everyday as a current communication. Dover, There is no method on AOL to keep a message as "permanently new" in your inbox. Each time that you re-read it, you would have to mark it again as "Keep as New". Even then, it would remain only for approximately 27 days before AOL discards it. Like you, I have sometimes kept messages in my inbox as reminders, but it is probably a better practice to use the "Save on AOL" feature for messages that you need to preserve permanently. You'll just have to remember, after checking your inbox for new messages, to check the "Manage Mail" tab for the "Saved on AOL" folder for current items that still need to be addressed. But at least they will be permanent there. Regards, Drew Smith

We use AOL for our E Mail. After I read my mail, I sometimes mark a letter as HOLD AS NEW. Then I go back and reread it, sometimes several times. Is there any trick to tagging such as letter as RETAIN PERMANENTLY IN THE LETTER BOX? I realize that I could send the letter to a file for holding purposes, but I would like to be able to have the letter flash before me everyday as a current communication. Thanks Dover

Just trying to find out if my mail gets through. Audrey

Thanks--will digest but suspect this was another branch of Grays. Joan >

You're right on the money, Mickey. They used to be open more days and hours than any other state archives in the US. The staff is just as sick about the cut-backs as those of us who use it are. During the week, they open after I'm at work and close at 4:45 p.m., before I leave work. Weekend hours are non-existent allow the Archives Foundation is helping with the first Saturday of each month. Monya Columbia, SC Fayette Co. AL list manager ASTON surname list manager MUSGROVE surname list manager THOMPSON surname list manager Researching: ANDERSON, ANDERSEN (Norway), ASTON, BISHOP, DODSON, FYLLINGSNES (Norway), GRANT, HARRIS, HOWELL, JORDAN, LESLIE, McDILL, McDONALD, MILLIGAN, MORTON, MUSGROVE, OWEN, PEDEN, SOUTH, THOMPSON and WEBSTER On Sep 15, 2004, at 3:58 PM, Mickey Fournier wrote: > I am so sorry to hear about your experience at the Archives. It must > be > because they have had their hours and their staff cut drastically. I > have > been there many times and it has always been pleasant and rewarding > for me. > > Mickey > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] >> Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2004 9:51 AM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: [SC] Visits to Counties >> >> >> I also sing the praises of the Edgefield County Library. The staff >> there >> were wonderful to me. They will never know how much I appreciated >> their >> help and pleasant smiles after leaving the South Carolina Archives in >> Columbia. On two different occasions, I traveled over 3000 miles round >> trip to do research in the Archives. I went there with high hopes and >> came away empty-handed & in tears. I spent more time standing in line >> waiting for staff to answer my questions on how to search through the >> catalogs to locate the correct microfilm and then set up the machines >> to >> read the films than I did actually getting to scan the microfilm >> documents. After I finally got them threaded into the machines, >> things >> went better. I have arthritis in my hands and had extreme difficulty >> threading them. I also spent $$$$ trying to copy the microfilm and >> ended >> up with black pages and very few productive prints. So you can see, I >> didn't know what I was doing and I have a feeling that a lot of folks >> who >> go there have the same problems. The archives are wonderful for those >> who are smart enough to operate the system and have good coordination. >> My choice is to go to the small County libraries. I found valuable >> information in them. Keep up the good work Edgefield ladies & God >> bless >> you. Martha >> Some thoughts that came to my mind that I have learned in my research >> of >> Edgefield Co after reading an exchange between Freda and Helen >> (following >> my >> message) >> >> 1) I have found most of the records of Edgefield Co. (and all of the >> other >> counties I presume) have been microfilmed and are located at the state >> archives. If you have multiple folks to look for in several areas, >> you >> can >> find them all in one stop shopping at the state archives. >> >> 2) Don't restrict yourself to the Will books. They give the will >> only >> and do >> NOT include the accountings, the petitions against the estate etc that >> provide >> wonderful clues as to the relationships of others in the family. >> Especially if >> there were two marriages and two sets of children. Wills books make >> nice >> copies of the info, but just don't provide all that you need. I make >> my >> transcriptions from the original containing all the accountings and >> often >> find >> that they are not the same when read in their entirity as they are in >> the >> Abstracts of Wills found in several books. Study it all and make your >> own >> conclusion as to the meaning of the info. Also if possible, get >> probate >> records >> for several members of the connecting families.... you will often find >> surnames >> and married names of the women in the family that way. >> >> 3) Microfilm Index at the state Archives called Probate Records gives >> wills >> AND administrative box and package numbers, and then you get the film >> that has >> them on it and see everything that was in the box when filmed. This >> will >> provide so much more than the will, and lots more if there was an >> administration with no will. >> >> 4) Don't forget equity records - I love it when someone I am looking >> for >> got >> into a dispute with someone else, or made a petition for a portion >> due to >> a >> child of a deceased child. At the State archives these are all in >> the >> same >> area. Don't know where they are in Edgefield. Good place to start is >> with >> Carol Well's abstracts. >> >> 5) You will NOT get the tenderloving care and help at the State >> Archives >> that >> you will get at Edgefield. I have not researched in Laurens, but >> most of >> the >> smaller individual libraries or archives have always provided me with >> a >> more >> personal touch. Unlike the Edgefield Tompkins library, some of the >> others are >> not very knowledgable, but that is certainly NOT true in Edgefield. >> Tonya and >> volunteers are very capable of helping folks on their research. Plus >> they know >> the area, the churches, the cemeteries, and the old families. >> >> 6) the Last time I tried to work on probate records in Edgefield, the >> probate >> judge was refusing to let anyone in. Don't know if what ever problem >> set >> him >> off at that time is resolved or not. >> >> 7. Tompkins library at Edgefield has lots of family files that have >> been >> sent >> in by others. Like you and I they are bound to contain errors, but >> they >> are a >> start. You will not find any such records like these on the state >> level >> that I >> have ever seen. >> >> I am sure that there are other things I should think of to put in >> here, >> but >> those are the ones that come to my mind quickly. Hope they help >> someone. >> >> Billie Jones >> Camden, SC >> [email protected] >> >> >> >> >> ==== SC-Genealogy Mailing List ==== >> Virus warnings are not welcome on this list. >> Remember when writing a query, to always put in DATES & LOCATIONS >> >> ============================== >> Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration >> Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. >> http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 >> >> > > > > ==== SC-Genealogy Mailing List ==== > If you are leaving your current ISP, please unsubscribe! > Digest [email protected] > List [email protected] > only one word in body of message UNSUBSCRIBE > No signature/No nothing! > > ============================== > Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 > >

I have always had very positive experiences in all the SC courthouses, libraries, and state archives. However, I realize that any of these facilities can be intimidating at times. My approach, as a retired teacher and school administrator, is to walk in, head up, shoulders squared, and ask to see specifically one book or document or file. [If perchance you don't know specifically what you want to see, act as if you do.] No one has ever refused to help me. From that point on, the road gets smoother. I usually ask first for the Index to Deeds. If my people lived in that county, they probably bought or sold land. The Deed Index will tell me the approximate year of their arrival in the county and the year of their last land sale there. Additionally, land records often give the names of relatives and neighbors, along with the geographical location. If the patriarch did not sell his land, then I look for evidence of a sale by his executor or administrator, or even one of his heirs. When the Deed Index indicates a sale by one of the surname and has the added note "et al," I know that I have found a treasure. The notations "et ux" and "et vir" indicate "and wife" or "and husband." While these are helpful in learning the spouse's name, the "et al" tells the names of others involved. Happy day! Having extra names from the land transactions helps to know what to look for in Wills, Administrations, Estate Packets, and especially in Equity Court cases. In Edgefield, the defining Jones names and relationships were found only in an Equity case filed under the name of a Jones son-in-law, whose name was Wash -- 76 glorious pages. When I really want to know everything about one of my ancient families, I try to find a case where one family member sues one or more of the others. That's where the love, the anger, the hurt, and the dirt really fly!

I am so sorry to hear about your experience at the Archives. It must be because they have had their hours and their staff cut drastically. I have been there many times and it has always been pleasant and rewarding for me. Mickey > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2004 9:51 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [SC] Visits to Counties > > > I also sing the praises of the Edgefield County Library. The staff there > were wonderful to me. They will never know how much I appreciated their > help and pleasant smiles after leaving the South Carolina Archives in > Columbia. On two different occasions, I traveled over 3000 miles round > trip to do research in the Archives. I went there with high hopes and > came away empty-handed & in tears. I spent more time standing in line > waiting for staff to answer my questions on how to search through the > catalogs to locate the correct microfilm and then set up the machines to > read the films than I did actually getting to scan the microfilm > documents. After I finally got them threaded into the machines, things > went better. I have arthritis in my hands and had extreme difficulty > threading them. I also spent $$$$ trying to copy the microfilm and ended > up with black pages and very few productive prints. So you can see, I > didn't know what I was doing and I have a feeling that a lot of folks who > go there have the same problems. The archives are wonderful for those > who are smart enough to operate the system and have good coordination. > My choice is to go to the small County libraries. I found valuable > information in them. Keep up the good work Edgefield ladies & God bless > you. Martha > Some thoughts that came to my mind that I have learned in my research of > Edgefield Co after reading an exchange between Freda and Helen (following > my > message) > > 1) I have found most of the records of Edgefield Co. (and all of the > other > counties I presume) have been microfilmed and are located at the state > archives. If you have multiple folks to look for in several areas, you > can > find them all in one stop shopping at the state archives. > > 2) Don't restrict yourself to the Will books. They give the will only > and do > NOT include the accountings, the petitions against the estate etc that > provide > wonderful clues as to the relationships of others in the family. > Especially if > there were two marriages and two sets of children. Wills books make nice > copies of the info, but just don't provide all that you need. I make my > transcriptions from the original containing all the accountings and often > find > that they are not the same when read in their entirity as they are in the > Abstracts of Wills found in several books. Study it all and make your > own > conclusion as to the meaning of the info. Also if possible, get probate > records > for several members of the connecting families.... you will often find > surnames > and married names of the women in the family that way. > > 3) Microfilm Index at the state Archives called Probate Records gives > wills > AND administrative box and package numbers, and then you get the film > that has > them on it and see everything that was in the box when filmed. This will > provide so much more than the will, and lots more if there was an > administration with no will. > > 4) Don't forget equity records - I love it when someone I am looking for > got > into a dispute with someone else, or made a petition for a portion due to > a > child of a deceased child. At the State archives these are all in the > same > area. Don't know where they are in Edgefield. Good place to start is > with > Carol Well's abstracts. > > 5) You will NOT get the tenderloving care and help at the State Archives > that > you will get at Edgefield. I have not researched in Laurens, but most of > the > smaller individual libraries or archives have always provided me with a > more > personal touch. Unlike the Edgefield Tompkins library, some of the > others are > not very knowledgable, but that is certainly NOT true in Edgefield. > Tonya and > volunteers are very capable of helping folks on their research. Plus > they know > the area, the churches, the cemeteries, and the old families. > > 6) the Last time I tried to work on probate records in Edgefield, the > probate > judge was refusing to let anyone in. Don't know if what ever problem set > him > off at that time is resolved or not. > > 7. Tompkins library at Edgefield has lots of family files that have been > sent > in by others. Like you and I they are bound to contain errors, but they > are a > start. You will not find any such records like these on the state level > that I > have ever seen. > > I am sure that there are other things I should think of to put in here, > but > those are the ones that come to my mind quickly. Hope they help someone. > > Billie Jones > Camden, SC > [email protected] > > > > > ==== SC-Genealogy Mailing List ==== > Virus warnings are not welcome on this list. > Remember when writing a query, to always put in DATES & LOCATIONS > > ============================== > Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 > >

Hi, These were the only ones I found in SC with a Nancy. Note TUCKER on one of these three documents. Audrey Source: Abstracts of Old Ninety-Six and Abbeville Bonds, etc, SC "GRAY, Minors -- Box 41, Pack 906: On Dec 12, 1825 Alexr. D. GRAY, Fenton HALL, Wm TUCKER bound to Moses Taggart Ord. Abbeville Dist. Sum $1,000.00. Alexr. D. GRAY made gdn. of Zachariah, Nancy Augustine GRAY, Nancy A. was of age Nov 1851. Jan 2, 1835 Rec'd. from est. of Jas A. GRAY $310.67. Feb 11, 1837 paid Elizabeth GRAY $30.00. Chn. Of Jas A. GRAY dec'd." "GRAY, Robert - Box 40, Pack 871: Est. admnr. April 1, 1811 by NANCY GRAY, Andrew GRAY, Jno. GRAY, West DONALD bound to Taliaferro Livingston ord. Abeville Dist. Sum $10,000.00. Aug 28, 1811 paid Elizabeth MORROW $3.13 ½. Mar 25, 1810 paid Pheby HEARST #20.00." "GRAY, Robert - Box 4, Pack 924: Est. admnr. June 1, 1839 by Jno. A. ANDREW, J. DONALD, Andrew J. WEEMS bound to Moses Taggart Ord. Abbeville Dist. Sum $10,000.00. NANCY GRAY the widow was admnr. But at her death these were appointed." Note: This Nancy GRAY was dec'd by 1839. ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2004 7:26 AM Subject: Re: [SC] Re: GRAYS and connections of Surry Co, VA-HOLLOWAY is one > Interested in Robert Gray supposedly born in VA or SC about 1799. Married Nancy Tucker in SC about 1828 and lived there. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Audrey Pool" <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 12:43:26 -0700 > Subject: [SC] Re: GRAYS and connections of Surry Co, VA-HOLLOWAY is one > > > Anyone researching GRAYS and their connections from Surry County, VA? I have several abstract wills available if anyone would like to see them. Many descendants went to SC. Audrey > > > > I. Mary GRAY m. William EDMUNDS > > II. Dau Faith EDMUNDS m. John BALLARD > > III. John BALLARD and Faith (EDMUNDS) BALLARD'S two daughter, Becky and Martha BALLARD m. Bennett and William HOLLOWAY, sons of George HOLLOWAY of Mecklenburg/Lunenburg Counties, VA. > > > > > > ==== SC-Genealogy Mailing List ==== > > Thank you RootsWeb for all the genealogy resources you have given us! > > > > ============================== > > Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > > Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== SC-Genealogy Mailing List ==== > If you are leaving your current ISP, please unsubscribe! > Digest [email protected] > List [email protected] > only one word in body of message UNSUBSCRIBE > No signature/No nothing! > > ============================== > You can manage your RootsWeb-Review subscription from > http://newsletters.rootsweb.com/ > >

Thank you for this great research information on SC. Ruth in Tx

I'm posting these abstracts because of the above names within the wills. Sometimes the families knew each other long before SC. Audrey "GRAY, William: Leg - To Charles TUCKER and Henry CLARK, each a cow. The rest of my estate to my wife, Mary, and my son, Thomas, to be equally divided. Wife, Mary, Exerx. Friends Wm FOSTER, and David ANDREWS, overseers of Will. 8 Feb 1710. Probate: 20 Oct 1714. Wit; Wm FOSTER, David ANDROS (sic). Book 5, p. 212." "GRAY, William: Leg - To my son, William GRAY, land where Thomas COCKERHAM lived and where Thos. MATHEWS lived and John COCKS now lives - To Robert SNIPES, to Mr. Samuell THOMPSON'S and land formerly BABB'S. To son, Gilbert GRAY where Thos. ROSE lives called REGON'S (REGAN'S) - To Wm. GRAY'S four sons, Wm GRAY, Rob't GRAY, Jos. GRAY and Thomas GRAY. To daughter Mary GRAY, Faith RUFFIN, Priscilla GRAY. Son grandson, William ANDREWS, granddaughter, Elizabeth EDWARDS, to grandson, Wm GRAY, to grandson, Wm RUFFIN. Son Wm. Overseer of Will. Son, Gilbert, Exer. 3 June 1719. Probate: 18 Nov 1719. Wit: Nich. MAGET, Rob't JUDKINS, Samuell MAGET. Book 7, p. 226." "GRAY, William: Leg - To my son, Wm GRAY, all my Plantation and land where he now lives and Negroes and stock, etc. on the Plantation and 30 lbs money. To son, Robert GRAY, all my land and Plantation where he now lives and all my land adj. To it left me by my father called BABB'S land and land purchased by me of my brother, Gilbert GRAY, also 6 Negroes, stock, cattle, etc. and 20 lbs. To my son, Joseph GRAY,all my plantation and land where he now lives and land purchased by me of Charles JONES and his wife adj. To it, 7 Negroes, stock, cattle, etc. and 20 lbs. To son, Edmund GRAY, my land purchased of Rob't SCOTT, lying in Isle of Wight Co. If my son die before 21 years old to my son, James GRAY. To son, Charles GRAY, one Negro and 420 lbs. To son, James GRAY, 470 lbs. Cur. Money. To my daughter Lucy BRIGGS, wife of Howell BRIGGS, 20 shillings. To my wife, 3 Negroes for life then to all my children. The remaining of my estate to be divided between my wife and my ! children, Wm GRAY, Rob't GRAY, Jos. GRAY, Thos. GRAY, Lucy BRIGGS, Edmund, until he is 21, have educated, etc. Son, Robert, to have care of son, James, until he is 21 yrs old. Four sons, Exer. 10 March 1731. Probate: 16 June `736. Wit: Timothy THORPE, Sampson WILLSON, Nath. GIBBS. Bk. 8, p. 604." Source: Surry County, Virginia, Wills and Estate Accounts and Inventories, 1730-1800 by Hart "EDMUNDS, William of Surry. Will. Date: 19 Feb 1730. rec: 16 July 1740. Mary EDMUNDS, Executrix. Sons: William, David, John Edmondgray (not 18). Daughters: Mary, Sarah, Susannah, Elizabeth, FAITH, Fillis (Phillis) and Christian. Wife: Mary. Witnesses: Richard PARKER and Nathaniel MOSS."

I also sing the praises of the Edgefield County Library. The staff there were wonderful to me. They will never know how much I appreciated their help and pleasant smiles after leaving the South Carolina Archives in Columbia. On two different occasions, I traveled over 3000 miles round trip to do research in the Archives. I went there with high hopes and came away empty-handed & in tears. I spent more time standing in line waiting for staff to answer my questions on how to search through the catalogs to locate the correct microfilm and then set up the machines to read the films than I did actually getting to scan the microfilm documents. After I finally got them threaded into the machines, things went better. I have arthritis in my hands and had extreme difficulty threading them. I also spent $$$$ trying to copy the microfilm and ended up with black pages and very few productive prints. So you can see, I didn't know what I was doing and I have a feeling that a lot of folks who go there have the same problems. The archives are wonderful for those who are smart enough to operate the system and have good coordination. My choice is to go to the small County libraries. I found valuable information in them. Keep up the good work Edgefield ladies & God bless you. Martha Some thoughts that came to my mind that I have learned in my research of Edgefield Co after reading an exchange between Freda and Helen (following my message) 1) I have found most of the records of Edgefield Co. (and all of the other counties I presume) have been microfilmed and are located at the state archives. If you have multiple folks to look for in several areas, you can find them all in one stop shopping at the state archives. 2) Don't restrict yourself to the Will books. They give the will only and do NOT include the accountings, the petitions against the estate etc that provide wonderful clues as to the relationships of others in the family. Especially if there were two marriages and two sets of children. Wills books make nice copies of the info, but just don't provide all that you need. I make my transcriptions from the original containing all the accountings and often find that they are not the same when read in their entirity as they are in the Abstracts of Wills found in several books. Study it all and make your own conclusion as to the meaning of the info. Also if possible, get probate records for several members of the connecting families.... you will often find surnames and married names of the women in the family that way. 3) Microfilm Index at the state Archives called Probate Records gives wills AND administrative box and package numbers, and then you get the film that has them on it and see everything that was in the box when filmed. This will provide so much more than the will, and lots more if there was an administration with no will. 4) Don't forget equity records - I love it when someone I am looking for got into a dispute with someone else, or made a petition for a portion due to a child of a deceased child. At the State archives these are all in the same area. Don't know where they are in Edgefield. Good place to start is with Carol Well's abstracts. 5) You will NOT get the tenderloving care and help at the State Archives that you will get at Edgefield. I have not researched in Laurens, but most of the smaller individual libraries or archives have always provided me with a more personal touch. Unlike the Edgefield Tompkins library, some of the others are not very knowledgable, but that is certainly NOT true in Edgefield. Tonya and volunteers are very capable of helping folks on their research. Plus they know the area, the churches, the cemeteries, and the old families. 6) the Last time I tried to work on probate records in Edgefield, the probate judge was refusing to let anyone in. Don't know if what ever problem set him off at that time is resolved or not. 7. Tompkins library at Edgefield has lots of family files that have been sent in by others. Like you and I they are bound to contain errors, but they are a start. You will not find any such records like these on the state level that I have ever seen. I am sure that there are other things I should think of to put in here, but those are the ones that come to my mind quickly. Hope they help someone. Billie Jones Camden, SC [email protected]

Interested in Robert Gray supposedly born in VA or SC about 1799. Married Nancy Tucker in SC about 1828 and lived there. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Audrey Pool" <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 12:43:26 -0700 Subject: [SC] Re: GRAYS and connections of Surry Co, VA-HOLLOWAY is one > Anyone researching GRAYS and their connections from Surry County, VA? I have several abstract wills available if anyone would like to see them. Many descendants went to SC. Audrey > > I. Mary GRAY m. William EDMUNDS > II. Dau Faith EDMUNDS m. John BALLARD > III. John BALLARD and Faith (EDMUNDS) BALLARD'S two daughter, Becky and Martha BALLARD m. Bennett and William HOLLOWAY, sons of George HOLLOWAY of Mecklenburg/Lunenburg Counties, VA. > > > ==== SC-Genealogy Mailing List ==== > Thank you RootsWeb for all the genealogy resources you have given us! > > ============================== > Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 > > >

Anyone researching GRAYS and their connections from Surry County, VA? I have several abstract wills available if anyone would like to see them. Many descendants went to SC. Audrey I. Mary GRAY m. William EDMUNDS II. Dau Faith EDMUNDS m. John BALLARD III. John BALLARD and Faith (EDMUNDS) BALLARD'S two daughter, Becky and Martha BALLARD m. Bennett and William HOLLOWAY, sons of George HOLLOWAY of Mecklenburg/Lunenburg Counties, VA.