As those of you who have suffered through my innumerable queries for the
last year or so realize, I am quite serious about tracing my ancestry.
However, I have exhausted the resources available here in New Mexico,
and seem to be at a dead end with the queries and other online
databases.

I have previously placed a reward notice.  It worked.  I found the
individual for whom I was searching in about two days, and the
researcher received a cashier's check.  As I understand it, the search
was not that difficult as they had access to relevant archival material
and considerably more experience in genealogical research.

Accordingly, I thought I would try it once more and am offering a $100
reward to the first researcher who can identify the parents of my
great-great-grandfather Henry J. Woods who was born (depending upon
which census one believes) in either NC or SC in about 1826.  On the
1860 Spartanburg County SC Census, Henry's family is enumerated as
follows:

Father: Henry J. Woods (b. 1826) various censuses indicate both a NC or
SC birth
Wife: Mary H. Woods (b SC 1822) (possibly a Lynch?)
Children:
Nathan J Woods (b SC 1851)
Lynch E. Woods (b SC 1846) female (perhaps a previous Woods-Lynch
marriage?)
James H. Woods (b SC 1848) (my great-grandfather)
John B. Woods (b SC 1849)
William B. Woods (b SC 1850)
Thomas J. Woods (b SC 1854)
Luther L. Woods (b SC 1856)
Margaret C. Woods (b SC 1858)
Robert H. Woods (b SC 1859)

It should be noted that the LDS entry on Henry's family is
incorrect...possibly due to the fact it was evidently taken from the
1860 Spartanburg County Census which is fairly illegible.  The children
Luther and Margaret  were identified from later Censuses, specifically
the 1870 and 1880 Greene County TN rolls.

Regarding Henry's parents, the clues, I suppose, lie somewhere in either
North or South   Carolina birth, deed, probate or census records.
However, as I posted last night, I personally  feel -- but cannot make
the connection -- that Henry may well be the son of one of the following
Woods families that show up on the 1830, 1840 and 1850 Spartanburg
County SC Censuses:

1.  James Woods b. 1788 - wife Rachel (Hawkins?) b. 1797 SC.  James and
Rachel had at least four children: Susan b. 1829; Nathan Richmond b. 22
Sept 1831; Elizabeth b. 1833; and William James (James William) b. 4 Oct

1839.

2.  William Woods b. 1780 - wife Jane (Babb?) b 1785.  William and Jane
(according to LDS-consider the source) had  the following children:
Clarissa b. 1808; Abner b. 1809; Susan b. 1812; Hugh b. 1814; Kellet b
1816; Larissa b. 1820; Polly b. 1879; Nancy b. 1824; William b. 1827;
Martha b. 1829; Martin b. 1831; and Harvey Harney b. 1833.

3.  John Woods b. 1787 - wife Agnes (unknown) b. 1790.

4.  Robert Woods b. 1788 - wife Jane b. 1790.

I have not yet determined if James, William, Robert and John are
brothers.  Nor do I have a clue as to their parent' identity.  And
again, this is just a guess on my part.

Obviously, due to the similarities of names, it would appear that Henry
would most likely descend from James and Rachel (there was even a Nathan
in that family).  Further, my great-grandfather James H. Woods b. 1848,
named his first born daughter Rachel...but perhaps this is merely a
coincidence.  James ended up marrying an Elizabeth Fox (daughter of
Isaac Fox) and living in Greene County TN.

If you are interested in this project, or have the relevant information,
please contact me.  However, aside from this entry, and as a matter of
courtesy to others, please E-mail me directly do not post your replies
to this list.  If requested, I will then provide you my telephone
numbers and addresses, as well as any other material you feel is
necessary to verify the legitimacy of my offer.

In any event, I hope this will spark some interest from an individual
who feels they might just be up to the challenge of finding Henry's
parents and receive $100 for their efforts.

Brett F. Woods
Santa Fe, New Mexico

Please Note:  I will, of course, verify the information.

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