I have hit the proverbial brick wall with my 3rd great grandmother, Nancy E. GUESS, born c1804. She had a younger sister named Sarah (Sally) GUESS. Nancy married Adam HOPKINS, son of Jabez HOPKINS and Rachel CLOUSE, in around 1820; Nancy's sister Sally married Adam's brother Elijah HOPKINS several years later. Both families ended up in Claiborne County, Tennessee by the time of the 1830 census. Nancy and Adam left Tennessee for Iowa in 1849. Sally and Elijah remained in Claiborne County (later Hancock County). I know nothing more about the GUESS sisters, other than that they may have been born in Alabama (per census records). Jabez and Rachel (CLOUSE) HOPKINS, parents of Adam and Elijah, reportedly moved their family from Washington County, Virginia to Washington County, Tennessee in around 1802, when Rachel's father George CLOUSE moved there. So it is possible that Adam and Elijah met their future wives in Washington County, then later moved to Claiborne County. I did find a Thomas GUESS listed in the 1850 Washington County TN census. I would greatly appreciate hearing from anyone who might know something about any of the members of the above-mentioned families. Thanks! Best regards, Janet Zengel Messer Micanopy, Florida