The following new message has been added to the Group 31 board under the new topic of Williams-group 31... -------------------------------- I've checked here from time to time, and no one has written anything. I'd sure like to see some activity for group 31, so I decided no time like the present...being a new year and all...to leave a note and hope that others will add to it. My father's people have been in Washington county, Ala. since the early 19th cent., coming apparently from South Carolina or Georgia, perhaps via Fla.  There are two Williams living in Wash.Co. at the right time with sons names George W and daughters named Sarah...one was born in S.C., the other in Ga. My gut feeling says that James Williams (from SC) is the correct line to follow, but I've been unable to find any conclusive evidence to that fact.  All I know for sure is that George W Williams m. Sarah ( Warrick) Loper (dau of James Madison Warrick)  in 1870. My grandfather, Walter was b. abt 1873 but in the 1880 census was living with an uncle George Batley. There is no 1890 census, but in 1900 he appeared to be living alone and in 1910 he was living with a half sister and her family, next door to Martha Jane (Jones) Hopkins, whom he married abt Sept of that year. So there is no census that shows Walter Coleman Williams living with his parents. Did they die young?  I have yet to unearth probate or death records for George or Sarah, so I don't know. I have sent for Walter's death certificate 3 times, only to get someone else's each time, but never his. Most of the DNA records of matching people (those few who have given their gedcoms) show that their families came from Va. So, I'm assuming that George's ancestors came down from Virginia to S.C. quite early. James (the predicted father of George W.) was b. S.C. abt 1804. James Williams m. Mary Phelps (b Miss), dau of Wm and Margaret Phelps of SC.  James' parents were Benjamin and Sarah (Turner) Williams of SC, and Sarah Turner was daughter of John and Mary Ann.  Like many of you, most of the matching DNA studies (even the 37 marker) show us matched to people of different surnames...all different, not even a similar thread there. There are only 4 Williams listed at the 12 marker level and  they are all one 'genetic distance' from Andrew (i.e. 11/37). There is one Williams listed at the 37 marker level with a 3 'genetic difference' noted. I'd love to have the other Williams from group 31 post their history information and let's see if we can make 2007 more productive!  If anyone has any thoughts on my family, listed above, I would really appreciate hearing from you.   Thank you and have a wonderful New Year!! Connie Williams  file no 36902 (Andrew)