This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/ncB.2ACE/1346.5.2.1.1 Message Board Post: There is generally a tendency to confuse the first two. Robert Blacks. Researchers show the first Bob Black of the line that lived in the Ruffin/Smoaks area of Colleton County, SC as having come from Scotland. Others say Ireland. My cousin Donald Williams of Charleston wrote a brief history of the Blacks. This is what he said: "According to family tradition, the Black family of of Colleton County is of Scottish descent, being originally a part of Clan Alpine, later of Clan Lamont and Clan MacLean-MacGregor. The first member of the Black family to come to South Carolina was Robert Black who came to Georgetown, SC from Scotland, along with two brothers, names not known. Robert had traveled to America as Redemptionist or Indentured Servant who had to work out the cost of his passage and was put to work on a plantation. For two days he worked in the fields but refused to eat a bowl of mush served him along with the other laborers. The lady of the house, seeing that he evidently was a gentleman of refinement, on the third day had his food served with a tray and linen. He then began to eat." Donald indicates this first Robert Black did not serve in the American Revolution. There were three men named Robert Black who served South Carolina during that war. One was wounded at Sullivans Island and died 1 July 1776. It is believed that this first Robert Black settled in St. Bartholomew Parish prior to 1790. He is shown there in the 1790 census. At that time St. Barttholomew was in Charleston District, that part of Charleton District became Colleton District around 1800. Most researchers including my cousin indciate the first Bob Black had only one child, a son named Robert. There is speculation that the early Robert's wife was a Smoak. The 1810 census indicates the first Robert Blacks's household consisted on a male age 26 and under 45; and 4 males age 10 and under 16. Also there was one female aged 26 and under 45 and another female age 10 and under 16. By 1820, Robert had passed away. There is a household headed by an Elizabeth Black. Judging by her neighbors she was living in the same area where Robert was in 1810. Her household consisted of 1 male 10 and under 16. One female under 10 years of age, a female 10 and under 16, a female over 45. A document dated 6 Feb 1815 indiciates that the state of South Carolina had given Robert Black 412 acres of land "..in the distrcit of Colleton on branches and waters of Buck Head Swamp a branch of the Little Salkahatchie.." Using the MIlls Atlas as a referecne the first Bob Black lived on the Columbia Road, now US 21 in the area of Smoaks. Probably where the Methodist Church is today. The second Robert Black was born about 1794. He married Nancy Rice. Nancy is said to be descended from the Branch family. The town of Branchville, SC is named after them. These were the parents of the third Robert Black who became sheriff of Colleton County, SC. So far, I haven't seen anything mentioning who Nancy's parents were. Some feel that the second Robert Black and his wife Nancy were buried in the Black Family Cemetery in Ruffin, SC. If so there are no tombstones for them. The fourth Robert Black, his wife Jane Selna Smith Black are buried there.