Greetings from the sunny southern USA...but it's early January!!

I have been researching my family for about 5 years now but in a sporadic manner. About 3 months or so of manic obsessive searching followed by as much as a year break. Obviously I am currently engrossed again.

I have successfully identified and found records back to my 4th GF, John W CARITHERS born 1824 in Tennessee. It is in identifying his father that I have hit the proverbial wall. I have a strong candidate but no sure confirmation. So I throw myself on the mercy of anyone who might provide some direct fact, anecdote, or procedural advice. Here's what I know:

My earliest confirmed direct ancestor is Barsheba Aushers CARUTHERS in the 1840 Federal Census. She is in Yalobusha county Ms. and has 3 sons and one daughter. She is head of household. No man. Her oldest son is in the 15-20 age range. Perfect fit for John W. John W. is then shown to marry Millie PRITCHARD in Yalobusha in 1842 and set up household there. My 3rd GF James E. born 1845.

Though Barsheba and other relatives were at times shown in records as CARUTHERS there is no doubt that my family at least as far back as John W. used CARITHERS. That is why my strong candidate for John W.'s father is Matthew CARITHERS. He moved into Chickasaw county Ms. with his widowed mother Mary McGowan CARITHERS and younger brother Robert in the late 1830s. Chickasaw borders Yalobusha and the two locations would probably be separated by several hour horse ride. Significantly Matthew died in 1840 (no mortality schedule). My thinking is that this could explain Barsheba being alone with 4 children. Also Matthew was born in SC. John W shows on more than one Federal census that his father was born in SC. Two things argue against Matthew in my mind. One, Barsheba would have been born around 1800 and Matthew 1786 which is not an unprecedented age gap but still a significant one. Two, I have no one in my line named Matthew. If he were the one it seems like someone would have passed it on.

I have gone to Yalobusha and researched land patents and know the names of CARUTHERS who bought up land in Yalobusha and surrounding counties in the 1830s. Barsheba is also in the MS state censuses of 1841 and 1845 but these two show to be indexed on ancestry site with NO TOWNSHIP LISTED so I don't have any way at this point to verify her exact location.

I have looked for Barsheba in Georgia (where John W says his mother was born) and in Tn. Looked for any marriage between ANY Barsheba and ANY Caruthers. Nothing.

I would love to nail down Matthew as he is the son of William of Abbeville, SC who's family history is well documented thus would throw me way back and I would be basically through and my mania could subside.

I can provide more info if anyone has any questions and I thank you in advance for any assistance/advice that you might offer.

Respectfully, Cridders