Dear fellow researchers, It has rained here in Missouri and the heat wave has broken so I thought that I would sit down and write a letter which I am afraid might be rather a long one. I have been trying to find time to do this for some time. I don't know how this will work, but I am sending this to both the Ivie-L and Grainger County list. I know that several researchers on Ivie-L and the Grainger list have been trying to locate the parents of the Nancy Ivy married who married Charles Owens in Grainger County, Tennessee. July 23, 1837. I do have a possible candidates for Nancy Ivey's parents, and would appreciate some feedback either to eliminate these "candidates" or to put forward other candidates. <eeek!!!>. I have now eliminated quite a few of the Nancys as possibilities (not an easy task since the Ivys had an inordinate fondness for the names Nancy and Delilah. Granted that Nancy and Delilah are common East Tennessee surnames.... HOWEVER however, the Iveys married women named Nancy and Delilah named all their daughters Nancy and Delilah... well not ALL their daughters <smile>) I am not descended from Nancy and Charles. However, an Owens researcher did me a big favor and I would like to return it. First of all one can eliminate several of the Nancys as being either too old or too young. I don't think there is any need to go into these ladies.....<smile> Someone mentioned the John Ivy/Nancy Williford marriage (April 10, 1832). I do not believe this could be the Nancy Ivy that married Charles Owens. I do not have absolute proof of this (not my direct line), but I believe this Nancy was the wife of John Ivy, Jr the son of the John Ivey who married Elizabeth Kidwell. John Ivy Senr was the brother of my third great grandfather Benjamin Ivy. John Ivey and Nancy are listed on the 1850 Grainger County census next to John Ivey, Sr and Elizabeth so Nancy could not have been widowed before 1850. According to Bejamin Ivy's will, his daughter Nancy (b. 1812) married a Sunderland. (I have still not found a record for this marriage). John and Elizabeth "Betsy" Kidwell Ivey's daughter Nancy is the Nancy Ivy who married Greenberry Mayes. (Once again this is not my direct line so some of this information could certainly use further research). I could go on and on forever, but on to a possible candidate. The 1830 census for Grainger County did list a woman named Nancy Ivy. A female between 50 and 60. Too old to be Nancy Owens. I did wonder whether she might have a daughter named Nancy. The only other person listed in the household though was a male aged 15 to 20. However, I am pasting to this email the will of Baxter Ivy. It is not taken from the original and is a WPA transcription. In checking the TN archives website I could not find that the Grainger County loose wills had been filmed. Also I have never read whether the loose wills survived the flood. This may be what is available. As you can see there is nothing in the will which really solves the Ivey/Owens mystery, but Baxter's widow was named Nancy and they did have a daughter named Nancy. The Will oF Baxter late of the County of Grainger and State of Tennessee In the name of God Amen I Baxter Ivey do make and ordain and declare this Instrument which is written to be My Last Will and testament all debts of which are but few to be punctually paid to my dearly beloved wife Nancy I give and bequeth the use profit and benefit of all My Whole Estate during her natural life and widow hood Item 1st up on the decease of wife it my will and desire that William Western James Western & Pleasant Western Shall have an Equal Share of My Whole Estate Item 2nd it is also my further Will and Desire that my four last children Elisha Ivey, David Ivy, Nancy Ivy and Ezra Ivy shall have an equal Share of my Estate with the before Mentioned Legatees lastly I constitute and zara Magee and James Carmichael Executors of this my last Will and testament In My witness hearunto I set My hand and subscribe My name this 15th day of July 1823 his Baxter x Ivy mark test James G. Harris James hill August 1823 & filed for further Probate proven in Full Feby 1824 The Last Will and Testament of Baxter Ivy Recorded 15th May 1829 Grainger County Loose Wills