I am researching the following lines: LAY ( Charles Middleton Lay 1759-1829 m. Nancy Freeman 1760-1847 had a son James abt. 1782 (no death date) m. Elizabeth McKinney b. abt. 1795 had sons Jeptha, Archelaus and Charles Middleton). I am trying to determine whether the 1st Charles (1759) is the son of a David Lay from Wilkes & Pittsylvania Co. VA m. Susannah Gibson. I have Charles & James' wills & census data to prove their children & spouses but nothing prior to Charles except a mention in the LFGA web page. Any Revolutionary War service??? Also, I would like to know what happened to Jeptha. I have him married to Mary Holland but nothing more. I found in a family bible the mention of a "Mit" Lay. Is this the Charles Middleton Lay born from James? MCCAREY ( James McCarey 1823-1888 m. Elizabeth Hector 1833-1879 had a son John Patrick McCarey 1869-1912 m. Mary Joanna Lay 1871-1851) I have James being from Cushendale, County Antrim, Ireland from my grandmother's notes and Elizabeth Hector from Aberdeen, Scotland from a letter. Elizabeth arrived in Charleston sometime in the mid 1800's and lived with a Kennedy family there until married. She had a brother John Hector. I would love to trace back into Scotland and Ireland for both of these(HECTOR & McCAREY) but have had no luck. I also have James having two previous wives, one being Catherine O'neill. Any information or confirmation would be appreciated. There is little info out there that I can locate. KEYS ( Peter Keys 1761-1835 m. Martha Gordon 1776-1859 had a son James Crawford Keys 1813-1895 m. Louisa Downs Lewis 1817-1899). James served in the CSA along with two sons Robert and Peter. After the war he would wrongly convicted of the murder of three Union soldiers along with his son Robert. James was sentenced to death and Robert sentenced to life by a military tribunal under the command of General Sickles. Both sentences were eventually commuted by President Andrew Johnson, which involved Sec. of War Stanton, a federal judge to force the release from Sickles and a congressional investigation of the trial and subsequent acts by Johnson. I would like any information regarding the circumstances of the incident at Browns Ferry and the trial. My theory is that similar incidents of Johnson's forgiving behavior towards the South may have led to his impeachment. THOMPSON (Captain Charles Thompson 1799-1873 m. Mahala Gaines 1805-1878 had a son Col. Robert Anderson Thompson 1828-1914 m. Valinda Staritt who signed the Ordinance of Session of SC). Firstly, I do not know anything about Charles' rank as Captain, whether it was a local militia or for the War of 1812, Also, according to R.W.Simpson, Charles father was William who died somewhere in Alabama and his father was James who came from Ireland to NY then to SC. I have no proof and would love to confirm this. I did find correspondence in the Caroliniana Library that Robert Anderson Thompson wrote implying that Simpson's work was correct. Some people I have spoken with dispute this line. HELP!! Who do I believe? Mahala Gaines is from the sane line of Gaines that owned the plantation that the Gaines Mill battle was fought. I am certain that most South Carolinians that fought in the war fought at that battle, including the Keys, Thompsons and maybe the Lays. KNOX ( My Knox line is actually from Wayne Co. GA and before that from Pitt Co. NC; Reddick Knox 1791-1858 m. Ruhama Taylor 1791-1870 moved to Wayne Co., GA in the early 1800's) Is there a connection to the Pitt Co., NC Knox line to the Pendleton area Knoxes? I think that many Knoxes in the Pendleton area came from the Mecklenberg, NC Knoxes but I can't establish a link. Any help would be appreciated. ame from the Mecklenberg, NC Knoxes but I = can't establish a link. Any help would be appreciated.