John, as you point out, Wilkes County, NC, Scott and Campbell Counties in TN supplied most of the population of the area between 1835 and 1850. Do you have any idea how many Wade Hamptons there are just in Reynolds County history? I've been looking at the Hampton tie to Sam Hilderbrand's wife's family for quite some time. Between the Baker's, Fry's and Hampton's and all their other kin, Sam and Ben Talbot didn't have to hardly step on a strangers property from Ironton to Poplar Bluff. And they damn sure didn't have to steal any chickens for supper, supper would have been wait'en.

Jim Morris