Catherine, I have been looking for Helena's father for many, many years. Could you possibly tell me where you found the info. I am interested in anything you can find on her. Thanks you so very much Frances Peoples Catharine Vinson wrote: > > My biggest brick wall: > > Helena Eleanor Birgitta WALLACE born 14 Aug 1748 > Father: A. Dornell WALLACE > Mother: LYON/LYONS (given name unknown) > Father's birthplace given as Elderslie, Renfrewshire, Scotland in family > records but not confirmed with primary documentation. > > Helena and her parents are reported to have returned to Scotland soon > after her birth and then to have arrived in what is now Pensacola, > Florida in 1754 (age of four years). I have not found any listing of > WALLACE in the Spanish records for this area, and there were few > settlers in Pensacola at that time. It was basically a small fort manned > by no more than a 100 military types. I did find that a massive > hurricane hit the Pensacola area that year, so possibly Helena and her > parents (and siblings?) were headed for New Orleans and came ashore in > Pensacola as a result of the hurricane. I don't find any Wallace that > fits the timeframe in other Spanish records I have checked for the > Natchez district. > > Family records note that Helena married Thomas BERWICK April 14, 1768 > (her 20th birthday) in Charleston, South Carolina. But there is no > documentation. A petition filed by BERWICK for a land grant in the > Natchez District about the time of the wedding states that he's waiting > for family to arrive from Charleston, including family members of Helena > in his petition. > > After their marriage, Thomas and Helena were in the Attakapas and > Opelousas Districts of Louisiana for the rest of their lives. The only > reference I find to any possible family member of Helena is to a Joshua > Wallace relating to a land sale between the two men that required Joshua > Wallace to build a fairly substantial house on the piece of property > with the further restriction that Wallace would have to leave the > property at the end of three years if Berwick asked him to. > > Dornell is an unusual given name; I am assuming it may be his mother's > maiden name. I have no clue about what the "A" stands for (and it would > be a whole lot easier to identify him if I knew!) > > Help, suggestions, would be very much welcomed. Helena is my 4th great > grandmother; more importantly, she was a fascinating woman and I'd like > to learn more about where she came from. > > Catharine Vinson > [email protected]