Now when you say Jackson River?....is this just below Monterey/Vanderpool, Highland County, VA or farther down away?......I have John Ruddell's brother, Stephen married to Mary Bird and her brother, John Bird lived in Monterey, VA. As you saw the BIRD's and Ruddell's lived close to each other. This Robert could very well be the same......more research is need on this....or does anyone see something that eliminates this possibility? Jake In a message dated 6/25/2003 10:27:29 PM Eastern Standard Time, DEEWSWAIN writes: > My earliest know Wilson ancestor: James Wilson, b. 1767, probably VA. > In his grandson's Bible, James' father is given as Robert. I looking for > Wilsons who would have been in the VA area prior to 1767. Census records give > James' birthplace as VA. His birhtplace is reported in a family Bible, as TN > (which was not a state when he was born). There is a Robert Wilson who is found > in the early TN settlements. Could this be your Robert mentioned in the > Will? > There is an area that was NC, VA and finally TN. For some time, there was a > question as to which state included that geographic area. Lots of Scots of > Ulster were there in that time period. > James m. Sarah Mounts in Bath Co. VA , 1795. He was called "James of Jackson > River"; that river is in the area of Bath and Greenbrier Co.s. There was a > Wilson Settlement there. > Sarah had a guardian who signed her marriage bond and she was b. in MD. > By 1811, James and Sarah were purchasing land in the Big Sandy area of what > is now Wayne Co. WV. Thanks for any consideration. Dee > Wilson-Swain