Thanks to all who reponded to my query regarding research on the Williams families of Shenadoah. I'd like to respond to a few suggestions and throw out my info in case someone sees a connection. <<"Joan Hacket has 383 Williams on her website." Yes, I've been in contact with Joan Hacket. I also have her site bookmarked. Unfortunately, my WILLIAMS individuals are not listed. However, many of the WILLIAMS listed on her site have the same names as my WILLIAMS. Another interesting note is that she has WILLIAMS individuals listed in Morgan Co. OH - My WILLIAMS family lived in Morgan Co. OH for some time beginning around 1849-50. <<"I have some information on John E. Williams who married Ruth Octavia Jennings, <<September 23,1833, Shenandoah Co.VA.,daughter of John Jennings...Regards, R. <<Louise Henry" I believe this is the same John E. WILLIAMS who appears on the same page as my ancestor, Sanford WILLIAMS, in the 1840 census for Warren VA. I've tried connecting him also, but haven't found much that looks promising. If you have any info, I'd be glad to look into it. This is the information I have on my WILLIAMS family - please have a look and let me know if anything at all here is familiar. Thanks! -- Brenda ----Sanford/Sandford WILLIAMS b: 3/18/1810 in VA. The first document I've found for him is his marriage bond. He married 8/7/1837 in Warren VA to Sophia CURRY, though to be daughter to Eleanor TWITCHETT and Thomas CURRY. Sanford first appears in the Warren VA tax rolls in 1838. He first appears in the census in 1840 in Warren VA, next door to Eleanor CURRY. In the 1830 census, Eleanor CURRY is listed in Shenandoah VA. No WILLIAMS are listed on Sanford's marriage bond. John MANUEL is the bondsman. Alexander MURPHEY "personally affirms" that Sanford is over 21 years old, and John MANUEL does the same for Sophia CURRY. Both John MANUEL and Alexander MURPHEY/MURPHY are listed on the same page as Sanford in the 1840 Warren VA census. Some of the children of Sanford and Sophia WILLIAMS have distinctive middle names, and in some cases, appear to be surnames. There may be clues there: William Franklin WILLIAMS b: 1835 (2 1/2 years before their marriage), James Jackson WILLIAMS b: 1838, Idress Ellen WILLIAMS b: 1840, Minerva Ann WILLIAMS b: 1841, Charles Westly/Wesley WILLIAMS b: 1843, Sarah Ann WILLIAMS b: 1845, Hezekiah Taylor WILLIAMS b: 1847, John Russell WILLIAMS b: 1849, Ellora (Laura) Josephine WILLIAMS b: 1851, Eliza Jane WILLIAMS b: 1854 and Mary Elizabeth WILLIAMS b: 1856. (Note - I considered the possibility that Sanford could have had a previous marriage with William being the issue of that union. However, I ordered William's death record and it lists Sanford WILLIAMS and Sophia CURRY as his parents. While this may be in error, I've found no evidence of a prior marriage for Sanford) I've tried to connect Sanford to the family of Presley WILLIAMS. I still believe that Presley may be an uncle or cousin. The names in Presley's family are similar to that of Sanford's family. Presley's son John named one of his sons "John Russell WILLIAMS" - the same as Sanford's son. Among Presley's descendants named William, James, John, Charles, Laura, Mary, Eliza etc, there are Daniel "Jackson" WILLIAMS and James "Franklin" WILLIAMS. Also, some of Presley's descendants married into the CURRY family - and these CURRYs appear to be descendants of John CURRY, believed to be brother of Sophia. I have also tried to connect Sanford with the Overwharton Parish WILLIAMS family - namely Charles WILLIAMS and Ann (Nancy) EDWARDS, particularly since the given name Sanford is found there frequently. But again, I've not found enough information on this family to compare. I thought there was a book written on this family, but I've not been able to find much about it either. Any help is appreciated. Thanks again! _________________________________________________________________ >From Beethoven to the Rolling Stones, your favorite music is always playing on MSN Radio Plus. No ads, no talk. Trial month FREE! http://join.msn.com/?page=offers/premiumradio