This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Lawson, Johnson Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/XeB.2ACE/3339.1 Message Board Post: Doug, Let me propose a slightly different theory that is much simpler and fits better with the records. Martha Johnson (whoever she was) was the sister of the first wife of Martin Lawson who was likely the son of Burrell Lawson Sr. Burrell Jr was the John who was living next to Burrell Lawson Sr in 1840, and he was the son of Martin Lawson. So, Martha was the aunt of John Burrell Lawson. When Abner died, Martin married the sister of his dead wife. From the records that I have looked at for Banks and Hennis better support the idea that Clem living next to Banks in 1850 was the missing son of Hennis, and that both of them were the sons or grandsons of Clement Lawson or possibly sons of Lacey Lawson. David