This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: fostersp Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.thompson/7803.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Genealogy often takes some strange twists. On March 5, 2008, my wife and I were researching Spurlocks at the Carnegie Library in Eufaula, Barbour County, Alabama, and we came across information that I had not seen on websites or published. In the book, Obituaries From Barbour County, Alabama, Newspapers 1890-1905, compiled by Helen Sylvester Foley, page 79, was the following entry: Eufaula Times and News, Thursday, December 20, 1900. "Mrs. Mariah Spurlock, age 98, of Linwood Ga., died last week. She was the mother of Mrs. Lizzie Vining & Mr. Shad Thompson, of Eufaula. She resided near Eufaula many years ago. Her husband, Mr. Solomon Spurlock is buried at the old family church burying ground just north of the city. Mrs. Spurlock is stepmother of J. M. Spurlock, formerly of Eufaula, & step grandmother of Mr. O. O. Spurlock." Lizzie Vining is Elizabeth Fry, born in 1831 in Georgia, wife of Jefferson Ashley Vining. Shad Thompson is Shadrack Thompson, born in March 1817, in North Carolina, county unknown. Shadrack married Martha (maiden name unknown) in 1848-1849 in Barbour County. In the 1850 census for Barbour County, Shadrack was cited as 32 years of age, born in North Carolina, and Martha was 23, born in Georgia. Also in the home were daughter, Georgia, 1 year of age, and Elva, 63 years of age, born in North Carolina. Since Elva was listed as a Thompson, she's not Martha's mother, but her relationship to Shadrack Thompson is unknown. Also in Barbour County in 1850 are Solomon Spurlock and his wife, Maria Spurlock. Maria is listed as 40 years of age, born in SC, not NC. In 1900, Barbour County, Shade Thompson's birth is given as March 1817, in NC, mother and father in NC. In 1900, Maria Spurlock was enumerated in her daughter, Adaline (Fry) Peace's home in Adairsville, Bartow Co., GA., wi! th her birth in March 1802 in NC, mother and father in NC. Adaline shows her mother being born in NC. If the 1900 census is correct, Mariah Fry Spurlock would be about 15 years of age in 1817 when Shadrack Thompson was born. Mariah married a Fry before 1830 when her son, Edward, was born. She would have Elizabeth and Adaline with a Fry and then marry Solomon Spurlock in 1835 in Crawford Co., GA. In 1820 there are 165 Thompsons listed as heads of households in 32 NC counties. I have no idea who Mariah could have been married to or where they lived in 1817-1820 in NC. Shadrack Thompson, born in 1802, NC., does not appear in Ancestry.com Family Trees or in Rootsweb message boards. Since Shadrack Thompson sold land to William O. Thompson in 1849 in Barbour County, I thought there might be a connection. William O. Thompson is enumerated in Barbour County in 1850 as 39 years of age, born in NC. In his home is a daughter, Elva R., 15 yoa, the same name as Elva that is in Shadrack's homw. Also, William O. has a daughter named Georgia A., the same name as the daughter of Shadrack. Also in Barbour Co., are A. G. Thompson, 31 yoa, born in NC., and John T. Thompson, 69 yoa, born in VA., with wife, Delilah, 50 yoa, born in NC. So can anyone help me solve the puzzell: since Mariah Fry Spurlock is cited as the mother of Shadrack Thompson, who could be the father of Shadrack and how is Shadrack related to William O. Thompson and the other Thompsons in Barbour Co.? Hopefully, Sharon Judy and Lee Anne Hooks can help. I appreciate what anyone can do. Foster Spurlock, Galveston, Texas. e-mail: flspur@aol.com Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.