Hi everyone! I am new to the list & hope there is someone who might be able to help me because I have sleuthed just about as far as I think that I can at this time. I apologize for this being a long message. George FERGUSON was b. c1770, unknown where, but he first appeared in Franklin County Deed records in 1793 when he & 'a' William FERGUSON sold some land on the branches of Story Creek, which intimates that he had that land, naturally prior to that time. I have seen where someone believes that George was a s/o John FERGUSON & Elizabeth "_______". John FERGUSON is believed to have d. c1789 in Franklin Co, VA, & that Elizabeth d. c1806 in Franklin Co, VA, but I have no proof of this parentage. According to Marriage Bonds of Franklin Co, VA, George FERGUSON & Polly CRUMP received their Marriage Bond on 25 OCT 1797. George & Polly had several children, names not certain to me with the exception of two children still living when George FERGUSON wrote his "Will" on 1 JAN 1836 & "Codicil" on 23 MAR 1836. Polly was already deceased apparently prior to the 1830 Franklin Co, VA, census because she is not listed, altho she is reported to have d. 1836. George apparently had over 3,100 acres of land, possibly a whole lot more, with a mansion, & 74 very valuable slaves, as well as other monies & bonds because he apparently was a tobacco grower, cotton grower & corn grower. George died prior to 3 OCT 1836 because that is the date that the inventory appraisal was filed. There was a WILLIS that owed him around $40.00 & that was Mark WILLIS, f/o Hardin WILLIS. George & Polly were my gggg grandparents. His "Will" went into great detail of how he wanted his large Estate disbursed. The two named children involved were Charles FERGUSON & Sally aka Sarah WILLIS, who was obviously a widow with 2 small daughters, that he identified as Miram & Abigail. Charles had 3 small daughters that were identified as Mary Elizabeth, Susan & Sophy Anne. Then there was another granddaughter named Eliza HIETT, apparently her parents both were deceased at that time, thus Eliza's mother had to have been one of George's deceased daughters. Within the next year, Sarah "FERGUSON"-WILLIS & John DOUGHTEN received their marriage bond on 30 MAY 1837 in Franklin Co, VA & apparently they were both deceased prior to the 1840 census, as well as Charles FERGUSON. I never could figure out who was the WILLIS husband of Sarah aka Sally FERGUSON! They were my ggg grandparents. There were only 3 that were in the 1830 census, that did not show up in the 1840 census & fell in the right age category. They were William WILLIS, John WILLIS, & Izaiah WILLIS. In my 'mind' Izaiah WILLIS is the most likely candidate at this time, but I can not prove it. Any help available???? [Hardin WILLIS would have worked out real fine as far as I was concerned, but he continued to live, family identified etc. - BUT he m. Mariam CHITWOOD.] Miram soon became Miriam on the records! Miriam "WILLIS" & Eli HAMBRICK received their marriage bond on 18 MAY 1847, m. by John BOWMAN, thus apparently they DID marry on that date. Eli disappeared from Miriam's life before the 1850 census. In the 1850 Franklin County, VA, census, Miriam HEMBRICK was living with her sister, Abigail S. WILLIS, who m. William JONES in 1847. So guess who the very next door neighbor is? Hardin WILLIS & his bride, Marian CHITWOOD! And they have a daughter named Miriam, age 7. There HAS to be a connection there somewhere, but I am not smart enough to figure it out. Any help available??? Miriam "WILLIS" HAMBRICK m. Edward aka Edwin Cornelius HATCHER on 2 JAN 1851, or soon after, according to the Marriage Bonds of Franklin Co, VA. They were my gg grandparents. On 4 NOV 1857, Miriam & Edwin HATCHER sold the land allotted to Miriam [and/OR her mother] out of the land belonging to George FERGUSON, her share amounting to 1,650.99 acres of land described as on Pig River & Story Creek in Franklin Co, VA. Soon after Miriam & Edwin married, they moved on into Floyd Co, VA, where she d. 5 JAN 1862 of comsumption. Edwin re-married to Decia Emaline "LESTER". Before Edwin d. 13 OCT 1884 in Floyd Co, VA, also of comsumption, he had fathered 18 known children & Decia lived on thru 1890. If anyone can help me in my 'problem areas', I surely would be forever grateful. Will share. Cheers! Rosie