Re: Eastins in Caroline County VA
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In reply to:
Eastins in Caroline County VA
Rand Eastin 11/13/07
r.eastin,
Your posting was very informative. I am a descentent of Thomas West(b. abt 1719) of Granville and Chatham Co, NC. We are not positive where our Thomas West was born. DNA suggests Virginia as does family tradition. One family tradition cites that This Thomas West married a Catherine Rebecca (or Katy) Eastin. Other variations of this name include Easton, Eastings, Eastern, etc. The name, or variations, also appears in known and suspected descendents of Thomas West. One of these traditions continues to name Katy Eastern's father as William Eastern who emigrated from England.
In our research we do not usually give much weight to these family traditions except to use them as hints as to where advance our research. However, this particular tradition has proven to be very reliable over the years and has caused us to disprove many published accounts of our West family that even still are widely accepted.
Your posting tends to support this family tradition which names the father-in-law of our Thomas West, albeit far from the proof that we desire. I hope you don't mind if I ask you a few questions.
Have you seen the name of Thomas West in conjunction with the names of any of your Eastin Family in any records? We know that there was a Thomas West in Orange Co and I believe there was one in Caroline, but we do not know if they are the same. Do you have any more records involving William Eastin other than the Will of Thomas Durham? You referenced the 1740 Tithables of Caroline County...Did those records come from a book or microfilm? I have looked on the LDS site for Caroline Co Tax Records. Their listing does not go back further than 1782.
I appreciate any help you can give. Thanks.
Ronny Roy