Hello list, In "Virginia Marriages, Early Through 1800" is a marriage for John DAWSON to Nancy MARTIN, 7 Nov 1799, Albemarle Co. I sure would like to know if these are my ancestors! According to a Bible which belonged to the wife of John Martin DAWSON (and various census, tax, land and probate records)... John DAWSON (Sr.) b 21 Jan 1775, place unknown, married Nancy (said to be) MARTIN abt. 1800, possibly in Virginia. Lived in Virginia (county unknown) - Williamson Co., TN - Hardeman Co., TN - Tippah Co., MS. Died 24 Nov 1854, prob. in Tippah Co., MS. Nancy b 1770-1780 d 2 Oct 1853 prob. in Tippah Co., MS. Oddly enough, I haven't found them in the 1850 census. According to a Bible which belonged to Nathaniel Nicholas DAWSON, John's children were: Drucinda b 25 Nov 1801 VA John Martin b 10 June 1802 VA William H. b 08 July 1804 Williamson Co., TN Robert Anderson b 23 Nov 1807 Williamson Co., TN Elizabeth b 21 Jul 1809 Williamson Co., TN Lewis W. b 21 Dec 1811 Williamson Co., TN Nelson C. b 16 Dec 1814 Williamson Co., TN James C. b 25 July 1817 Williamson Co., TN Nathaniel Nicholas b 28 Apr 1819 Williamson Co., TN N.N.'s Bible *reportedly* has the words "children of James DAWSON and Mary MARTIN" scribbled in across the top. I don't know who put it there or how they came to the conclusion, but that there was a James and Mary DAWSON in Tippah Co., MS. That James died 1844, and his wife was in the 1850 census (born 1785 SC) with a John H. SMITH family. But since the John Martin DAWSON Bible lists death dates for Nancy DAWSON and John DAWSON (including his exact age), and all the early records call him John, I believe these to be the correct given names. Unfortunately, I still don't have concrete proof that her last name was MARTIN, but the above-mentioned marriage is the only match I can find for a John or James DAWSON marrying a Mary or Nancy of any surname in early Virginia records. One theory is that the James who was in Tippah Co., MS and *did* have a wife named Mary was a brother of John, but we have nothing to go on. Judging from census records, they apparently had children named James and John S., and probably Jane who married John H. SMITH. There could have been others as well - I haven't seen the probate records. I have been looking at the Thomas MARTIN-Ann MOORMAN line of Albemarle Co., Virginia and thinking that "my" Nancy may have been a grand-daughter, as their daughter Nancy was apparently too old, and was probably still married to Alexander BLAINE in 1801. Another daughter, Mary Ann "Molly" MARTIN, married a Benjamin DAWSON 10 Nov 1786 in Albemarle Co. Does anyone on the list know much about that family? I've also spent a lot of time trying to link John to the Rev. Martin DAWSON line of Amherst/Albemarle. There are some less common given names that are the same in both families. I'm pretty sure he wasn't a son of Martin, but perhaps a nephew or cousin. Any help greatly appreciated! I've been pushing on this wall for a long time, and it seems to be giving a little. Chandra Dawson Martin