I believe Mary Jane Waites Carter was my great, great grandmother. If I am following correctly, she married Charles Powell Carter, they had John Franklin Carter in 1871; he married Honor Ellen Stebbins and they had my grandfather, Clarence Carter in 1899.

There are so many discrepancies - though minor - that I wonder if I am confusing two people. So am wondering if you can clear any of this up and point me to some supporting documentation.

1. In various censuses, death certificate Mary Jane's mother's (Sarah Ann Hankins?)birthplace is listed as Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee.

2. Same trouble with her father, William's birthplace - Tennessee and Alabama.

3. I see Mary Jane's birthdate as 1851 on her headstone, but it says 1850 on her death certificate.

4. 1910 census says she could neither read nor write, 1900 census says she could do both.

5. in the 1870 census I see there is a son, William who is 1 year old, but I don't see him again in the following censuses.

6. some sources indicate an 1866 marriage to Charles Powell Carter and some sources say 1868.

Any help you can give me is most appreciated. I am pretty confident of most of my information from John Franklin Carter onward, since my grandmother recorded information in the family bible - if that's any interest to you.

Thanks - Deborah Smith