Pourpose Of This Site

I wish to both clarify some of the facts, misinformation and downright lies floating around the internet and to compile the largest and most researched genealogy of the Echols line from England that begins with John Echols and Mary CAVE. Or does it?

Purpose of this blog is to bring the riddle of the Echols line from England to the New World and all land between Virginia – Oklahoma to one FREELY accessible resting place. We seem to descend from nomads, they went were drawn for reasons of which some are known but many are not. There are many unanswered question regarding are patriarch John Echols who married Mary Cave. Hopefully this blog will become popular enough to put some of the old questions to rest as well as bring new questions to the forefront.

In an attempt to put into one place all the answers and questions, we, together, can put an end to the, often wrong, quest of our true lineage. Was John born in England or Virginia? Was our John, b. in 1650, the one that was born in England? There are no records or a John Echols, with any alternate spellings, born around that time arriving in Virginia – which I have been able to find anyway. But, however, there is a record for a John Ecles age 16 (b. 1619) arriving in Caroline County, Virginia in 1635. (Name: John Ecles Year: 1635 Age: 16 Place: Virginia Source Publication Code: 6571). Is this our John Echols that Milner is speaking of when he states …”John Echols an Englishman came to America about the end of the 16th or the beginning of the 17th Century and settled in Caroline County, Virginia, and married a tall redheaded woman named Mary Cave and by her had five sons and three daughters.” Personally I question this and here is why.

“John Echols an Englishman came to America about the end of the 16^th or the beginning of the 17^th century.” Our John Echols, that married Mary Cave, was born in 1650 – the middle of the 17th century. I think the record I stated above is in fact this John Echols and Milner is off by a generation, as far as the “Englishman” part is concerned anyway. I’ll attempt here to open up for a one-place-to-post all of our questions, speculations, rectifications, theories and traceable and track-able facts. I’ll attempt to merge all the known and free to find information, including Milner’s history, Rebecca Echols Terry’s book, newspaper clippings, pension applications, birth & death records and certificates, census records, Sons/Daughters of the American Revolution Applications and other written histories of the Echols line.

You’ll notice, and I’m often asked about this, genealogies extending well past the Echols direct line. I’ve noticed in my own research that working through the “connected” families histories I’ve been able to answer many of my question regarding some of the Echols in my tree. Where I’ve found information through extended families, as with all information available to me, will be sourced and contact information give unless otherwise requested.

I welcome questions and challenges. I’m not perfect and I’m sometimes led in the wrong directions just like others. That is the primary reason I have created this, and multiple channels, to gather into one place a “master” collection, if you will, of the available Echols genealogy and attempt to merge into a new collection that which is provable and that which is still in question. I welcome suggestions on organizing the information contained here too. In general, please feel free to contact me in reference to our shared genealogical journey for any reason. My hope in creating this blog is it will become popular among the decedents of John Echols and Mary Cave and together in one accessible place to put the matter - or questions - to rest. With all the Echols researchers out there we can have the greatest resource - FREE - to help keep our name alive and to share our heroes, heroines and notables.

All information along with the sources will be provided on this blog. Take a look at them yourself, most are free resources, and decide for yourself if the information is valid for your family or not. Also, should you have any documents that you wish to share please contact me and I will include it here as well as my Echols Family Genealogy on RootsWeb WorldConnect Project and to my Echols Genealogy & Connected Families on Ancestry.com account.

An "Echols Virtual Cemetery" has also been started at a wonderful resource - Find A Grave - that links and connects all those named ECHOLS and their spouses and children that are in some way connected to or descendants of John Echols and Mary CAVE. 

If you have corrections or new families or family members to add please contact me. I ask that you supply something to backup your claim. Provide any backup documents or online links to add to the growing list of information sources.