Re: Stephen Elder (KY, IND, IA) 1807-1898 and family

Hi David,
Yes!!This ELDER line is exactly what we hope to prove!
Ann Elder Brooks POE was so happy to find out my brother's DNA matched her ELDER cousins, because she had hoped to prove that her family came from PA, then through Virginia, KY and TN.
We find land records for MATTHEW and ROBERT ELDER
recorded in Washington Co Virginia.
Some researchers may have assumed all ELDER were
PETER ELDER descendants because of the Virginia entries.

WASHINGTON CO VA:
The Washington County Surveyors Record 1781-1797
[Now HOLSTON River on map of Sullivan Co TN]
at
http://www.newrivernotes.com/va/washsurv.htmhttp://www.newrivernotes.com/va/washsurv.htm
Page 367 - "Robert Elder & James Elder, heirs of Mathew Elder, decd - 349 ac -
Commissioners Certificate - beginning on the north side of the middle fork of Holstein River in a line of David Snodgrass's land -
by Woods corner - on Graham's line - November 25, 1787...Mathew Elder, assignee of Daniel McCormic - 400 ac - on the middle fork of Holstein, includes improvement of 330 ac surveyed on January 22, 1774 - actual
settlement made in 1769 - August 18, 1781."

More research about WASHINGTON CO VA:
at
http://www.familytrail.com/elder/annelderpoehttp://www.familytrail.com/elder/annelderpoe

..."From naming patterns, it certainly seems quite possible that Matthew Elder was related to our line, and quite possibly Robert Elder was a brother of Matthew (and Andrew Sr.?). Matthew is thought to have been born ca. 1722, and died testate in 1783 in Washington County, Virginia, leaving children Andrew, Agnes, Martha, Jane, Mary, Rebecca, Robert and James. Washington Co. was created in 1776 from Fincastle, in turn created in 1772 from Botetourt, in turn created from Augusta Co.
No early Elder deeds were found in Augusta or Botetourt. In Washington Co., the first Robert Elder deed was made on 17 Mar. 1792 by Robert Elder and wife Rebecca to James Elder for 194 1/2 acres on the Middle Fork of Holston River
(1:390). These were clearly the sons of Matthew. (J. Butcher, C.G.). (Agreed, AP).

Robert Elder, supposedly the son of Matthew, was later a Revolutionary pensioner from Kentucky, and stated in his pension application that he was born in 1760 in York Co., Penn., and that his father moved to Rockbridge Co., Va, in 1773.

--Nancy Elder Petersen
Host, ELDER DNA project
http://www.familytreedna.com/public/Elderhttp://www.familytreedna.com/public/Elder