Following my maternal Grandfather's lineage: In the late 1700s, my great-whatever grandfather [John Hays] received an original land grant aroung Latta SC [about 1 hour due west of Myrtle Beach]. This farm is still [and always has been] owned by a direct decendant of our family. The family name was changed to Hayes when Rugherford B Hayes became President.

Pre-Civil war it was a working plantation including slaves. Fortunately, Sherman's route did not include this area. The last tobacco barn and slave quarters were detroyed by Hurricane Hugo in 92[?]. There is a cotton press from that era fully restored at the front entrance of the farm. John Hays also fought in the Revolution War against the British. So we have numerous decendants who belong to the Daughters of the American Revolution [DAR], for whatever that is worth.

The original house built on that land is still there, and my late grandfather's only surviving sister still lives there. She has a daughter and son, who, along with me, have vowed to maintain the farm for historical purposes and keep it in the family. I know our [US] history is short, but I rather like the idea of our family having land that no one else has ever owned that dates back to pre-Revolution times.

Now, on my maternal grandmother's side, we go all the way back to colonial days as well in Virginia. The family name back then was Pace. He was educating an Indian boy and had become his friend. One night, this boy warned Pace of an impending Indian raid. There was a massacre but many escaped including Pace. This was in the 1600s. Every heard of Pace Picante sauce? Same lineage. Unfortunately, our descendants from that Pace followed a different diverging branch than the one that founded Pace Picante.