Judy - Well, now that Helen Stogdale has verified that the original record gives "Silas VIA", your comment about "Micajah" and "Cager" got me to thinking about nicknames. "Cager" was a nickname for "Micajah". Could "Silas" have been a nickname for "Josias"? In fact, when one tries to say the name "Josias" quickly, it comes out "Sias" or "Silas". Perhaps James told the clerk that his father was "Josias VIA" and the clerk heard "Silas VIA" and wrote that down. Edna Barney Jlmaupin@aol.com wrote: > In a message dated 5/24/2006 11:42:22 AM Pacific Standard Time, > edna@ednabarney.com writes: > > The original marriage record should still be > available at the Albemarle Courthouse, so a photographic copy of that > one should be obtained to see if the father's name is really > "Silas" VIA > or is it "Josias" VIA. I'm betting on "Josias", since I've never > come > across any VIA named Silas. > > Edna, > Very well put, and very logical. > > I think someone may have said Josias and the clerk wrote Silas. This > seems to have occured frequently. Many records for Micajah show > Cager, etc. > > I will try for a copy of the two marriage licenses and see what we find. > > I also agree that James H. is a close relative of some kind to the > Carter Via family. > > Judy