Charles, There were definitely two different William Severs/Seaver(s) in VA & East TN.  The William Seavers 1752-1852 married Catherine Peck in VA and died in Nodaway Co, MO.  His DOB and DOD are established from the 1850 Nodaway Co, MO census and by death records in MO.  There is also ample evidence of his residence in Knox and Anderson Co, TN. My husband's grgrgrgrandfather was another William Seavers/Severs/Sivers.  He died in 1817, leaving minor children in Wythe Co, VA.  He had connections in Scott Co. VA and Hawkins Co, TN. His DOD is established by orphans' records in Wythe Co. and other court records there.  His name is established by his second wife's death certificate in Scott Co, VA. My *hypothesis* is that the William who died 1817 was a brother of Jacob, John and Elizabeth.  He *may* have been the William who bonded Elizabeth's marriage to James Lamar.  Jacob Seaver lived in Scott Co. until 1820; his wife's parents lived in Hawkins. I believe that the two Williams were probably connected in some way; perhaps they were uncle/nephew (more hypothesizing). I think that the spelling variations should be ignored, for the most part.  The family of the William who died in 1817 used Seavers, Seevers, Severs, Sivers in earlier years.  It is only in the 20th century that we begin to see any real consistency in the spelling of surnames in general. Pat Seaver whose husband's great-great-grandfather's marriage record says "John Sivers". -- Pat: Thanks for the reply. I am responding to the list as it has been so inactive lately. I have been too lazy to keep it active like I had planned to. The William who was in Botetout Co seems to be related to Henry and Elizabeth Seaver whose children were Jacob, John, and Elizabeth. I suspect there were others . John married and died young and his widow went to Switzerland co IN with Jacob and his wife Ester Crowberger in l8l8 and returned to Botetout Co to marry someone who had followed her to SWZ co IN. Someone submitting to LDS thought Casper Seever was the parent of Henry Seaver. Henry was born about l742 as I recall, maybe l746 or so. The Seaver Genealogy by Jesse M Seaver in l924 said "A man named Seever or similar emigrated in l752 and died on the voyage. His wife and children, Casper, Henry, and John arrived safely. If that is so maybe Henry was this child named Henry. Unfortunately there is a Sarver family in Botetout Co VA and more unfortunately their names were Casper,Henry, and John. There was some sort of Court record in Botetout Co where Wm Seaver was ordered to court with two other men. I forget their names. Possibly knowing more about them would tell more about William (It seemed to be Wm Seaver and not William Severs although it was spelled both ways). I agree that spelling does not mean much before l850. The son John Severs of Nodaway Co MO (son of WM Severs and Catherine Peck) had his name spelled Seavers as late as the l850 census. l850 seems to be about the date where spelling became more accurate. Did your Wm Seaver marry and have children. I assume so. He seemed to be in the l800 census of Botetout Co living with 2 males. Maybe he left for TN after l800. Maybe his wife had died and left him with two male children ?? There was a Deserting Hessian soldier named Johannes Wilhelm Siebert born l751 who deserted July l782 in Savanna GA. I have tried to prove he is the same as William Severs to no avail as there is a family legend about a Hessian soldier and William is the only candidate to this date. You did note that the Lamar family of Botetout Co VA were related to both families. James Lamar l796 married Elizabeth Seaver and William Lamar (his brother) married Mary Polly Severs in l8ll. She was his wife #2 after Roseanne Mills had died in l806. James and Elizabeth went to Nodaway Co MO along with John Severs in l849. (John went to Nodaway in l849 but I have not proved that James and Elizabeth went the same year.) Best Charles Severs