Rex, Hey thanks for the lookup, and i may have mis-read the 1840 entry for Elisha and it was Isham instead. However, would you please check GEORGIA as I have an 1880 entry that says his mother was born Georgia so I now wonder if his daddy was there? He was Elisha jr. and daddy was the Sr. I'm looking for. I did check for your family name and found nothing for 1740 VA. but there is one listing in 1760 Va. for John Abston in Bedford co. Va. now that's all it lists other than where the name was found; it gives the source as Bedford Va. Deed book 1, 1754-1762 found on reel 1 at the LVA (Library of Va.) Pages 250 and 267. This book was compiled by TLC Genealogy Books. Kathy.......in California...Texas bound in Oct. for vacation! ----- Original Message ----- From: <Rexall66@aol.com> Subject: Re: [TNBEDFOR] 1840 census lookup Kathy- Thee are only 2 Elisha Meltons in the U.S. 1840 Census. One in Louisa County, VA apparently between 40 and 50 yrs old. (1840 census did not give individual ages, just no. males under 5, ditto 5-10, 10-15 etc. That house hold had 3 males under 5, two 5-10, one 15-20, three 20-30, and two 40-50. I didn't check the one in GA. but can if you like. I tried the search option for "soundex" of Elish Melton in TN for 1840 and it came up dry. If I can be of help let me know. > Don't go t a lot of trouble but if you come across the surname Abston in your VA records I would appreciate a "heads -up". Our family tradition had it that > the family name was originally Aboasson and were french Hugenots that came first to England and then to VA and that the name was anglicized to John > Abston. There was a Jean Aboasson in the Manakin Towne, VA. settlement in > 1700( he cosigned a petition to the Gov.-Gen'l with 11 others in 12/1700) > Word was he showed up later in Halifax Co. under the name of John Abston and > was the father of Francis Abston, born ca. 1700. Francis is found later in > Pittsylvania Co., VA in the 1767 Tithing Rolls. Some of the other names in > that area are also names of some of the other French settlers in Mamakin Towne so may be true. Thus far none of us have been able to prove that Francis was son or grandson of Jean Aboasson. So if you come across anything > I would certainly appreciate it.- Rex Phillips - Dallas > >