Beginning in 1971, I started gathering information on my direct lines and allied families. The many stories and the sense of history while researching these families were intoxicating. This project is the result of many dedicated family researchers, working together and sharing what they find.
My McLaurin line originated in the area of Appin, Argyllshire, Scotland. They arrived in America in 1788, landing at Wilmington (Cape Fear), North Carolina. My branch of the "B" family, as designated by Banks McLaurin and the Clan MacLaren Society of North America (CMSNA), settled in North/South Carolina and eventually migrated to Mississippi, and then on to Texas in 1849. There they settled with the family of Reuben Hornsby at Hornsby Bend in Travis County.
I received a large package containing most of the basic information on the McLaurin families from Banks McLaurin in November 1984. He explained that it had been a while since he had researched my family line, but gladly shared what he had, including research on the Hornsby, Burleson, McDuffie, and Morrison families. Banks also pointed out helpful research posted in the Clan MacLaren Quarterlies. Other families associated with my McLaurin line include Hill, Downs, Jones and Foster.
My Mother's families of Bobo, Francis, Hanson/Hinson, Billingslea/Billingsley, Humphries, Petty, and Stroope settled throughout the Southern States. I have alot of information collected on the descendants of Spencer Bobo III and his descendants. These families all migrated from South Carolina through Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and finally settling in Texas.
My wife is a descendant of Thomas McMahon, who was from Fermanagh Co., Northern Ireland. In the year 1876, Thomas and family arrived in America, settling in Fremont Co., Iowa. I would like to thank Sandra Powell for contributing a large amount of the McMahon information. The McMahons were associated with the Hopkins, Sanderson families in Fremont County.
On my wife's maternal side, she is related to the Courtney, Bazoon, Herrin, Gordon, Jackson & what seems like most of the families of St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. They eventually connected to the Spencer, Batson, Myers and Roberts families from Mississippi and Arkansas.
In my research, I have gathered information on the following surnames: ALLEN, ATKINS, BATES, BATSON, BAUGH, BAZOON/BAZZOON, BILLINGSLEY/BILLINGSLEA, BIRD, BOBO, BOOTH/BOOTHE, BURLESON, CHANDLER, COURTNEY, COX, CRITTENDEN, DOWNS, FOSTER, FRANCIS, GORDON, HANSON/HINSON, HERRIN, HICKS, HILL, HORNSBY, HUMPHRIES, JACKSON, JONES, LEA/LEE, MCDUFFIE, MCLAURIN, MCMAHON, MORRISON, PETTY, ROBARDS/ROBERTS, RODDY, SNOWBARGER, SPENCER, STROOPE, TIGNOR/TIGNER, WATTS, WEST.
Many thanks to the "family" members who have added their information to the family database. All posted information is my interpretation of the data and is subject to change at any time as new information is discovered. This is a continuing work in progress, any corrections or new information would be greatly appreciated.
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