This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: GARDNER, EDGINGTON, RALSTON, SPEAKER Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/FCC.2ACE/1942.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Tom, Your GARDNERs may still have purchased land after that 1866 date when Jesse EDGINGTON died. That half moon area still had farming in the 1950s before it became an industrial site. I remember an old barn with that old Chew Tobacco sign on Freedom Way near the Fort Steuben Bridge. There is a local researcher descended from the SPEAKER family who lived and farmed there. The census shows many families on that land throughout the 1900s. As a suggestion, visit this Brooke Co., VA/WV site and look for your GARDNERS/GARDINERs in the census: http://www.rootsweb.com/usgenweb/wv/brooke/brooke.htm On that site, the 1810 Census list two – Loyd & William GARDINERs. You see that surname through the indexes 1810 to 1850. I’m now thinking that early pioneer obit/article in my first message was about Lloyd GARDNER who died here locally. He might be the father of William and another generation for you. The site linked above also has the marriage indexes from 1797 to 1899 – but in alphabetical order for the groom only. You might do a search for your Belinda/Malinda GARDNERS – use the “Find In Page” feature of your browser and save time. Keep in mind you may need to research in Ohio Co., & Hancock Co., VA/WV besides Brooke Co., VA/WV. (Many of my ancestors in Brooke Co., VA/WV more or less walked across that river [when it was 6" to 3' deep in the summer] to Steubenville to marry and/or be buried in the newly opened (1855) Union Cemetery. So Jefferson Co., OH may have a paper trail for you as well.) That Half Moon farm is in Brooke, but very near Hancock land. Same with the area at Colliers Exit/Gardner Avenue. My gut feeling is the pioneer land owned by the GARDNERS extended into both counties – same as our city of Weirton. And remember anything predating 1797 would have it’s paper trail in Ohio Co.VA(WV) records. Keep us up-to-date on what you find. Julia