The only names I can think of that could look similar/close in script are Ritters (by Blue's Beach), Buck (by Springfield) or Russell (by Patterson's Creek). Russell Ridge kids could have went to 'South Branch' to school. Russell Ridge is the next ridge over (east) and comes down from Levels to Okonoko. a farmer over near French had told me the school sat up on the hill....but i have found few little foundation stones, old roads, etc. I believe this location to be just east of the old dairy. there are remnants of the old dairy there. of course the old post ofc is still standing by the railroad. i hope to get to locate the cemetery this summer and will certainly post the gps and stone data. the upper part of French was supposed to have been an Indian village and there is supposed to be an Indian cemetery. this would be on the point coming down to where the South Branch and the Potomac join. There are remnants of several old bridges crossing South Branch, just south (up South Branch River) from the existing railroad bridge. -dan -----Original Message----- From: Tootsie [mailto:thelmamarie55@earthlink.net] Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2004 9:42 PM To: WVHAMPSH-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [WVHAMPSH-L] South Branch/Tootsie again I am going to go to a copy place and have the deed writing enlarged so maybe I can correctly read if it does say "Rush". My ggrandfather was b. 1835 in Hampshire and left after 1850 and in his Civil War papers a Poling, first names escapes me, said they grew up and went to school "in" South Branch. Tootsie -- "Lord, keep your arm around my shoulders....and your hand over my mouth."