This is probably totally unrelated but I went to school with someone with the last name of Cornmesser in North Augusta, SC which is part of Aiken County now. That would have been back in the 60s. It's possible that the name Messer could have been shorted to Messer or split up to two surnames like Corn and Messer. I have heard that the name Pettypoole became, Petty, Pool, and Poole. Just a thought......... In a message dated 12/27/2006 7:43:10 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, dereddi@hargray.com writes: Hi Folks, Fort Moore was present in what -eventually- became Edgefield District starting during the 1730s. It was created on the Savannah River at what was to become the New Windsor Township and then became Beech Island (first Edgefield District, then later Aiken County). This was just below the Fall Line at Augusta, Georgia (near Sand Bar Ferry). I checked the listing of surnames for New Windsor and didn't find that of anyone named Messer. Many of the settlers of New Windsor were Swiss in orignins - although, not all were such. The naming pattern for that area -did- change over time. Much of South Carolina was settled in part by Huguenots, of course. Peter Reddick, brother of my gggg-grandfather Nicholas Reddick - had a 'plantation' at Beach Island through 1815 or '16. That's my point of origin (and interest) with the area of Fort Moore / New Windsor / Beech Island. Sincerely, Dale E. Reddick