For the past several months I have been pleased to receive help from this list in my search for data on Mack Curry, black, born c. 1823 in Albemarle Co., VA. He and his "wife" are on the Augusta Co, VA cohabitation register of 1866 living in New Hope, VA with 5 named children. These same children were registered by Horace Brown of Brown's Cove, VA under Maranda's name. 1870 census - Mack and family are in Port Republic, VA, some 8 miles north of New Hope, listed with $150 in real estate. 1880 census - the couple own 4 acres just west of Port Republic..... bought from the Hulvey estate for $460.10. Mack is now supporting 9 children with 4 more to be born prior to his death Dec 1894. Maranda died 1906. I have found data (death date, marriages, etc.) for 12 of the 13 children born to the couple but absolutely nothing about Mack's life prior to the 1866 cohabitation register record. The Albemarle Historical Society has not been responsive to my email or calls. Since I can not travel and since I am new to working in black history I am at a loss as to where to look next. BTW, Maranda's first child was named Marcellus, could this have been Mack's given name? Did blacks use the English naming game? Her second child was named Eldridge Louis Curry. On some death and marriage records of her children she is listed as Maranda Lewis instead of Curry. Perhaps she was born a Lewis? Six of their children moved to Washington Co, PA. I contacted the historical society in that area to find our what was so hot about the PA region to prompt their migration and was told: "They wanted to get out of Virginia." Help! M. Preston To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html