Hello Listers, I've only been a member of this list for a few weeks now. I've been patiently waiting to see if someone mentioned the Lawrence County family I was searching for more information on -- they haven't, so here goes: Elam Ratliff, b 7/3/1778 in Randolph Co, NC, m (?) in 1810 in Lenoir Co, NC, d 7/2/1855 in Lawrence Co, TN, bur in Pleasant Gardens Cemetery, Lawrence Co, TN. Family history has it that Mrs. Ratliff might have been Native American, but it's unsubstantiated. Elam was born RATCLIFF, but moved all of his family to Lawrence Co, TN, and changed his surname spelling to RATLIFF. Horse thief, maybe? Anyway, all of his children were born in NC before he moved to TN. The children were: 1. Malinda Ratliff, b 7/3/1821, Onslow Co, NC, m Samuel Howard, 2/13/1845 in Lawrence Co, TN 2. Barbary Ratliff, b 9/29/1822, Onslow Co, NC, m Samuel Howard, 12/5/1840 in Lawrence Co, TN, d 1844 in Lawrence Co, TN 3. *Zacheus Ratliff, b 7/16/1824, Onslow Co, NC, m Martha Margaret Underwood 2/10/1848 in Lawrence Co, AR, d 9/3/1890 in Smithville, Lawrence Co, AR 4. Aaron Owen Ratliff, b 11/7/1825, Onslow Co, NC, m Patience L. Ashmore, 8/29/1858, in Lawrence Co, TN, d 4/10/1892 in Lawrence Co, TN 5. Obediah Ratliff, b 6/30/1827, Onslow Co, NC, m Susanna E. Kendrick, 12/3/1849 in Lawrence Co, TN, d 10/22/1884 in TN 6. Mordica Ratliff, b 11/15/1828, in Onslow Co, NC, m Rebecca J. (?) -- I have this info in another place but can't find it! He went to Arkansas with Zacheus and died there leaving Zack the guardian for his 3 or 4 minor children. 7. Catherine Ratliff, b 8/11/1830, in Onslow Co, NC, m (1) Isaac H. Eslick, on 5/29/1864, in Lincoln Co, TN, m (2) William Williams, 6/8/1871, in Fayetteville, Lincoln Co, TN 8. Irena Ratliff, b 9/4/1832, in Onslow Co, NC, m W. Johnson in 1850 in Massack Co, IL (only yankee I can find that we married)! Just kidding! Do any of these Ratliffs look familiar to anyone out there searching for ancestors? Jeanne Ratliff Barfield Atlanta