I have been searching my family line of Terrell's and merging families since about 1976 after watching the TV documentary "Roots" while stationed at Fort Belvoir, VA near the National Archives. There is no confusion that my 3rd Great Grand Parents are Joseph E. and Nancy Elizabeth Davis-Terrell; however, there is so much confusion about who JOSEPH Terrell was, when was he born, who his parents were, and who he married. These are the important facts that need to be captured. Recently I had doubts about Nancy's maiden name of Davis. However, after traveling to DeKalb County Georgia Court House to see the marriage license I no longer doubt it. Sources indicate there were two Joseph. According to several sources, Richmond R. and Mary Hough-Terrell had a son named JOSEPH, but not my Joseph. This Joseph is documented as being born 29 August 1822 in Piercetown, Anderson, South Carolina. My Joseph was purportedly born in 1823 in Lancaster, South Carolina. Mine was married to Nancy Davis and the other to Martha Jane Gregory. For me, this Piercetown Joseph and Martha Gregory-Terrell family who ultimately moved from South Carolina to Mississippi. In explaining this assumption, it is important to understand between 1700-1900, although not the RULE, families named new borne after their grandparents, aunts, and uncles; then the parents. The first son was named after the paternal grandfather, second after maternal grandfather, and the third son after the father. The same rule applied to daughters. My 2nd-Grandfather was William Richard "Bud" Terrell and purportedly Joseph's was Richard Richmond or Richmond Richard Terrell. This is where it gets confusing. My Joseph's children [fact] were Mary Margaret [after Mary Hough?]; Martha M. [after Martha Gregory?]; Nancy Jane [after Nancy Davis?]; Matilda Elizabeth (after Nancy's middle name and her mother?]. The first son of my Joseph was Doctor John C. Terrell [nickname DOC; not a profession?]; therefore, could Joseph's father be John Terrell. I know factually, Nancy "Davis" is Nancy Elizabeth and believe her father was Joseph Lafayette Davis. An Ancestry.com discovery about Joseph Davis revealed two of his daughters where named Nancy and Elizabeth, but accordingly were married to someone other. In adding to the confusion, Nancy was 30-years old; more than 10-years older than Joseph. They married 11 December 1842 in DeKalb County, Gerogia. However, Joseph was listed as Ferrell and not Terrell; a commom mistake when hearing one say it, plus other documents indicated Joseph could not read or write. Joseph and family had the unique opportunity to be listed in the Alabama and Georgia 1850 census. The name Ferrell was repeated in the 1850 U.S. Georgia census, but Terrell in the Alabama. There is the supposition that Nancy could have been married before Joseph. Why did they marry, well; remembering they married 11 December 1842 a hint of why might be found in the birth of there first children, Nancy Jane and Martha M., twins, were born 26 May 1843; about five months after being married; maybe a "shotgun" wedding. I am now weighing families in the 1830 South Carolina Census to determine who had sons between five and ten to narrow the possibilities. Although I am still searching; the greatest possibility is Joseph R. and Elizabeth Frances Hoff-Terrell.

I have been searching my family line of Terrell's and merging families since about 1976 after watching the TV documentary "Roots" while stationed at Fort Belvoir, VA near the National Archives. There is no confusion that my 3rd Great Grand Parents are Joseph E. and Nancy Elizabeth Davis-Terrell; however, there is so much confusion about who JOSEPH Terrell was, when was he born, who his parents were, and who he married. These are the important facts that need to be captured. Recently I had doubts about Nancy's maiden name of Davis. However, after traveling to DeKalb County Georgia Court House to see the marriage license I no longer doubt it. Sources indicate there were two Joseph. According to several sources, Richmond R. and Mary Hough-Terrell had a son named JOSEPH, but not my Joseph. This Joseph is documented as being born 29 August 1822 in Piercetown, Anderson, South Carolina. My Joseph was purportedly born in 1823 in Lancaster, South Carolina. Mine was married to Nancy Davis and the other to Martha Jane Gregory. For me, this Piercetown Joseph and Martha Gregory-Terrell family who ultimately moved from South Carolina to Mississippi. In explaining this assumption, it is important to understand between 1700-1900, although not the RULE, families named new borne after their grandparents, aunts, and uncles; then the parents. The first son was named after the paternal grandfather, second after maternal grandfather, and the third son after the father. The same rule applied to daughters. My 2nd-Grandfather was William Richard "Bud" Terrell and purportedly Joseph's was Richard Richmond or Richmond Richard Terrell. This is where it gets confusing. My Joseph's children [fact] were Mary Margaret [after Mary Hough?]; Martha M. [after Martha Gregory?]; Nancy Jane [after Nancy Davis?]; Matilda Elizabeth (after Nancy's middle name and her mother?]. The first son of my Joseph was Doctor John C. Terrell [nickname DOC; not a profession?]; therefore, could Joseph's father be John Terrell. I know factually, Nancy "Davis" is Nancy Elizabeth and believe her father was Joseph Lafayette Davis. An Ancestry.com discovery about Joseph Davis revealed two of his daughters where named Nancy and Elizabeth, but accordingly were married to someone other. In adding to the confusion, Nancy was 30-years old; more than 10-years older than Joseph. They married 11 December 1842 in DeKalb County, Gerogia. However, Joseph was listed as Ferrell and not Terrell; a commom mistake when hearing one say it, plus other documents indicated Joseph could not read or write. Joseph and family had the unique opportunity to be listed in the Alabama and Georgia 1850 census. The name Ferrell was repeated in the 1850 U.S. Georgia census, but Terrell in the Alabama. There is the supposition that Nancy could have been married before Joseph. Why did they marry, well; remembering they married 11 December 1842 a hint of why might be found in the birth of there first children, Nancy Jane and Martha M., twins, were born 26 May 1843; about five months after being married; maybe a "shotgun" wedding. I am now weighing families in the 1830 South Carolina Census to determine who had sons between five and ten to narrow the possibilities. Although I am still searching; the greatest possibility is Joseph R. and Elizabeth Frances Hoff-Terrell.