Samuel Pearson/Pierson married Sarah White 11 Dec 1840 in Jackson Co, VA. Sarah's parents were John B. White b. 1786 in VA and Susannah Pounds b. 1786 in PA. They came down river from Beaver County, PA to Jackson co, VA after the 1840 census had been ennumerated in Beaver County. John and wife purchased land from Whiting Smith and John M. Smith by a deed dated 15 Nov 1853. Samuel purchased a portion of this land from his parents -in -law abt the same time. I have searched for tax lists or some other record that might give an indication of where these people were living from 1840 to 1853. I would like to find something that would give a clue to Samuel Pierson's place of origin besides the state of PA, which is all I have. Is anyone aware of records that might include tax lists ectera that could help.? I've been working on solving this question for the better part of 9 years. Samuel and Sarah's first child, my great grandfather, James Morgan Pierson, was born early July 1841 from the records I have located. Which would indicate an extremely premature baby or that Samuel came down the river with the White family , which is more likely. I don't believe that babies conceived in December and born in early July in 1841 would have lived to marry 3 times. I've tracked Pierson/Pearson families all over the place. I'm concentrating on the Western PA area as that seems the most logical. They used both spellings until after the Civil War when they began to use PIERSON the most regularly. Samuel's tombstone in Meigs County OH has PIERSON. (I have an explanation for it if anyone is interested.) No obituary or death record for Samuel (1888) has been found. I have Sarah's but it doesn't give any information about Samuel. And just to make it more fun: on the 1850 Jackson county census, they appeared as Samuel PARSON and family. Any help or suggestions would be most welcome. Merry Anne Pierson