Four of the great enigmas of my surname.--- From the Bedford Court Order books-- 1769, Church wardens bind out Christopher Irvin, poor orphan, to John Irvin (no father named) 1769, Church wardens bind out Margaret Irvine, doesn't say to whom 1771, Margaret Irvine chose Thomas Overstreet to be her guardian 1775, Christopher Irvine, orphan of Christopher Irvine, chose Harry Terrell as his guardian We have speculated much about these entries. There appear to be no further documents at the Bedford courthouse, and trust me, we have looked. We believe the 1769 Christopher and Margaret are full siblings, along with another possible sibling named William Irvine, probably slightly older. The two entries for the orphan Christopher is a different matter. Some of my group believe these are two seperate orphans named Christopher. While this is entirely possible, I have my doubts. I personally believe, without any proof, that the existence of two seperate orphans named Christopher, six years apart, is unlikely. But I may be wrong. We know for "certain" our Christopher, 1769, was raised, at least part of his youth, by Hat Creek John Irvine. We feel convinced they were kin is some way, but there is no proof. The Harry Terrell issue is a new wrinkle. If the 1775 Christopher is the same Christopher, something had to change in his guardianship. Terrell was an officer in the 5th. Virginia during the Rev. War. A Christopher Irvin (mine?) was also in the 5th, from Feb. 1776 til Mar. 1778. Maybe an underage Christopher was trying to enlist? An apprenticeship? Much speculation; very little solid proof, as to which Christopher is which, or if they are one and the same. The 1769 Christopher was "bound out" by the Church wardens. The 1775 Christopher "chose" Harry Terrell. This implies that in 1775, this Chistopher had reached a certain age of minor consent. Fourteen?? sixteen?? The 1775 Christopher also leaves us with an unidentified deceased Christopher. We have an old Christopher who died in 1769. The common year has led many to suppose that this was the grandfather of the orphan, 1769. But this could just be a coincidence. We know of no son of old Christopher named Christopher. His sons were David of later Kentucky, and "Otter" William, who married Elizabeth Anthony. Who knows? Any help here would be greatly appreciated. Some of my group have been trying to unravel these little riddles for twenty years. The Irvin/Irvine messages boards are loaded with misinformation about my Christopher. We are fairly certain Christopher was a "Commissioner of Provisions" in Bedford/Campbell in the latter years of the War, and for a few years after. He was empowered to impress provisions for the military, and later settle public claims. My orphan married first, Louisa Tucker, in Amherst, then, after her death, Prudence Echols, in Halifax. Christopher and Prudence moved to Wilkes county, Georgia, about 1792-93, with at least four little boys. Georgia is well documented. They all became prosperous planters there. It is the Bedford/Campbell end that needs some work. Waddya think? Edwin