I haven't heard of that trick but I have some information on the Adam Johnston family. If you could provide me with more details maybe I could make a connection for you. Hugh Johnston's son James, I have listed as James W. born circa 1838..no further info. But I haven't researched down that line either so let me know what you have and I'll see what I can come up with. I am descended from James A. Johnston s/o Adam Johnston. [email protected] wrote: > After 25 years of searching, including trips to Washington, Richmond and > Ohio, I'm not told that I've been duped by a cagy politician and census taker. > > I was told late last week that a census taker in Giles County in 1870 and > 1880 advised certain Giles residents to claim that they had been born in > Northern states in order to preserve their voting rights? > > I've been looking for James A. Johnston. Based upon census records that > indicated he and his parents had been born in Ohio, I've been chasing a > phantom looking for his parents. > > It turns out that he probably is the son of Hugh Johnston and grandson of > immigrant Adam Johnston, all living in Giles County. > > Has anyone else heard about this census trick? > > ==== VAGILES Mailing List ==== > Older Giles County Queries are indexed at: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~vagiles/quindex.html