Cousins, Following is MY conclusion on the research of Burwell's son John Spence. I have researched this John for about a year, and from what I can find to document this, there is very little. What does exist is circumstance. A look at the facts I have been able to put together, I think should lend credence to my research. I have consulted others and they are in agreement with my findings. In genealogy, with the absence of documented records one must carefully evaluate all available data and at some point and time reach a conclusion based on that research. These are my findings. John Spence was still alive in 1843 when Burwell drafted his Last Will &Testament. The Elder John Cock was the person empowered to perform marriages by the New Hope Primitive Baptist Church near Big Reed Island Creek, Carroll Co. VA. John Cock was a dear friend of Burwell Spence, as per Burwell's Will, executor of Burwell's estate. A surviving minute book of this church lists as members of this church in 1825, Burwell Spence, Drury Spence and Isham Spence. Allen Thomas was listed as a member in 1825. Sons John, Uriah, James, and brother Joseph are not named as members, indicating that they may have moved from the jurisdiction of this church, or didn't attend. Lewis Spence would have only been 12 years old therefore, too young to be a mature male member. Most all of the other families who attended this church intermarried with the Spence family in one way or another. Other ministers were Nathaniel Thompson, and later Allen Thomas, born ca. 1821, son of Burwell's 2nd wife Nancy Thomas Spence. >From Grayson County VA marriage records of John Cock: John Spence & Mary Woosley: no original papers found, but married 10/30/1823 by John Cock. Marriage register one, page 16. Fanny Spence & Allen Burcham 5/15/1823, Fanny, daughter of Betsy, Joseph Spence Sr., surety. William Woosley & Elizabeth Puckett, daughter of John & Martha (Spence) Puckett, Benjamin Woosley, surety, married 1/3/1823. Archibald Rudd & Nancy Woosley, daughter of Benjamin Woosley, James Cock, surety.12/27/1822 Stephen Spence & Sarah Useley ( translated Woosley) on 9/19/1839 Thomas Duggins & Sarah Spence 11/2/1839 Hail (translated Hale ) Spence & Elizabeth Puckett Woosley, daughter of John Puckett, widow of William Woosley, 1/14/1845. Hale Spence is 99% the son of a John Spence born ca. 1773-1780. Some think Hale's full name was John Hale Spence. John Thomas & Lucinda Puckett 10/24/1839. John was another son of Nancy Thomas Spence, and it was he that Nancy lived with in Tazewell County. John Thomas lived next to Joseph Spence in Tazewell. Lucinda Puckett Thomas was a witness to Burwell's Will in 1843, so that dates them to being in Carroll Co. in 1843. Now here for clarification: I've been speaking with several Woosley family researchers and from all their research the people in Grayson/Carroll VA were Woosley's, sometimes translated to Oosley, Useley, Usley, Owsley and several other spellings. They are in no way connected to the Woolsey families of New York. The Woosley line has been traced back to England, and these are Woosley families in this part of the country. Many descendants still live here with the name,and they seem to have originated in Wilkes Co. NC. A search of phone directories in the local area located 53 Woosleys and 4 Woolseys listed. Back to John Spence, he disappeared from the 1830 Grayson Census as did brother Joseph. Both are found in Tazewell census. There were however 2 John Spences in Tazewell in 1830. One had a son under 5 in 1830. The 1830 does not list their wives' names. Neither does 1840. One particular John Spence re- married in 1844 to Elizabeth Deel, per marriage records of Tazewell. The other John's wife was named Ruthy in the 1850 census and their are NO noticable gaps in her children's ages indicating separation or re-marriage or sickness. Burwell's widow Nancy Thomas Spence applied for Burwell's pension in Tazewell Co. and it was awarded on 3/29/1854. When Nancy Spence applied for a land bounty of 160 acres on 4/14/1855, the application was backed up by the testimony of Burwell's son James Spence, who moved to Tazewell from Carroll between 1850 and 1855. There is also mention of a John Spence ,that it is implied, had made testimony for her widow's pension the previous year of 1854. In my opinion son Joseph Spence was not called upon to testify because Nancy was living next door, which could have created a possible conflict of interest or cohersion issue. John Spence could not testify for Nancy Spence again in 1855, because he had died prior to the application date for the land on 4/14/1855. In addition, Elizabeth Deel Spence, widow , had re-married David Osborne on 2/5/1855. So I can reasonably date John's death to approx. just prior to 3/29/1854 and before the 2nd marriage of his widow 2/5/1855. It is my opinion that John's wife was Mary Woosley Spence, who died between 1840-1844 and there are gaps in the ages of the known children, indicating ill health. We know that John and Mary married in Grayson Co., by Burwell's dear friend, my loving brother John Cock, per the Will. We know that John & Mary left Carroll Co. and moved away, because there aren't any records in Carroll Co. on them. We know that John Spence recorded land deeds beginning in 1849 through 1854. His son, Benjamin Spence, born 1824, one year after the marriage of John & Mary, also recorded deeds to adjoining land during the same time period. It appears that Benjamin was the oldest and possibly only son that John & Mary had. 2 known daughters were Nancy and Mary. John did not provide surety for either daughter's marriage, because they married after his death. Back to the Woosley name, the father of both William Woosley and Nancy Woosley was Benjamin Woosley. It is reasonable to think that Benjamin Woosley was also Mary Woosley and Sarah Woosley's father. We know that the Woosley's lived somewhere in the vicinity, as all 4 Woosley children were married by the same minister. The fact that they all married families that are intermarried with the Spence's lends further proof. John and Mary named their first born son Benjamin, most probably after Mary's father. Benjamin who married Catherine Deel named his children: Sarah, Mary Jane, John, James, Rebecca Ann, George, Willis, Sirelda, Esau and Jacob. Benjamin's 2 known sisters were Mary and Nancy. I think that Mary Woosley Spence named these girls after herself and her older sister Nancy Woosley. They would not have named a daughter after Nancy Thomas Spence and not named one after Rebecca Spence, Burwell's wife. Mary Woosley Spence's health did not appear to be good. Benjamin was born in 1824 and daughter Mary 1830, with 6 years between. Nancy was born in 1837, another long gap in ages. Even if other sons were born, why did not John secure some land for them ? If there were other children, I can find only one or 2 in Tazewell Co. that we have not identified. One final piece of evidence was the fact that when Benjamin Spence re-located to Wyoming Co., one Jeremiah Spence, later went there also. Jeremiah had been living with a son of Lewis Spence's , Jeremiah ( the older ) in Patrick Co. VA, and is thought to have been adopted. The only other possible connection we can find between Benjamin and the young Jeremiah was the fact that John & Lewis Spence were brothers, and their sons, Benjamin and Jeremiah were first cousins. Also, my own Spence line includes a William Benjamin Spence, who was also a first cousin to Benjamin. The given name Benjamin does not show up in the other Spence lines until later. So, there is the nitty-gritty of this. Whether this will stand up in genealogy court remains to be seen, however they are definitely guilty by association. I think these findings will hold water. Of course, this places Jean in Burwell's line. From her research I think she will also agree that this is the proper chronology of the life of John & Mary. Let's hear some feedback. Did I miss anything ? Carolyn