1. "Finding Walden"
According to family history, Walden Lewis and his brother Taverner are the sons of John Lewis of Spotsylvania Co VA. There is DNA evidence which links Walden to other Lewis family members who lived in Caroline and Louisa Co VA in the 1750s.
Walden and Taverner are first found together at Ft. Southwest Point TN on 7/5/1802 where they each obtained a passport through the Cherokee Nation to Georgia. Walden and Taverner are next found side-by-side in the 1809 Morgan Co GA Tax List.
Walden migrated to Greene Co MS by 1818, and later moved to Wayne Co MS. Walden is last listed in the 1840 Jasper Co MS Census at the family home. Walden died c. 1843 at Hickory Grove, Jasper Co MS. In his will, probated 1/17/1855, Walden named his wife and children.
Taverner migrated before 1818 to Pike Co MS and is found in the 1820 Pike Co MS Census. Taverner is not found again; as the 1830 Pike Co MS census is missing. Taverner is believed to have died in 1837 at the home of one of his son's in Copiah Co MS.
2. "The Mississippi Conundrum"
According to family history, Samuel Lee is the son of Jesse Lee of Robeson Co NC. A direct descendant of Sam participated in the Lee Family DNA project. This kit matches [25/25] with other Lee descendants from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Mississippi. Most significantly, this kit matches [24/25] with a direct descendant of John Lee from the 1694 Nansemond Co VA deed.
Samuel is first found in records in 1808 where he received a passport through the Creek Nation to Mississippi. Sam is next found in the 1820 and subsequent censuses in Wayne Co MS. There is a series of circumstantial evidences--censuses of direct descendants--which indicate that Sam was born in North Carolina.
In addition to the search to verify Sam's place of birth and lineage is the search for Sam's final resting place. Family oral history, which is confirmed by land transactions in 1845, states that Sam gathered up a majority of his family and migrated to Texas. Some family members only made it as far as the Mississippi River, returning to the family property in Mississippi. After establishing the first group in Texas, Sam returned to Wayne Co MS to collect the remainder of the family. Failing to convince the remaining members of the family to migrate to Texas, Sam departed again in Spring 1846. Did Sam make it back to Texas. And if so, where was he buried?
3. Connections I have found/Brick walls climbed over
The following is a list of genealogical connections I have found as a result of this ongoing research:
a. Lewis Family
b. Campbell Family
1. James Campbell of Edgefield Co SC, father of William Granville Campbell of Covington Co AL
2. Peter Mason, father of the Masons of Conecuh, Covington and Escambia Counties of Alabama
3. Joseph Braswell married Sarah Kindred. Sarah descends from the Kindred family of Isle of Wight Co VA.
c. Weaver Family
d. Wilkinson Family
e. Mullin Family
f. Stamer Family
1. Theodor & Wilhelm Fritz Stamer immigrated 8/3/1908 to Ellis Island.