I have just recently knocked down a wall in my Bates line by coming to the conclusion that my ancestor Pearson B. Bates was the grandson of Thomas Brummitt (abt 1790-1853) of Greenville, SC. Pearson Bates is a 14 year old in the 1850 census of Greenville County, SC living in the Thomas "Blummet" (age 60, b. SC) household. The others enumerated are Elizabeth age 70, Sally age 40, and Amanda age 30. Pearson is the only Bates. I next find him in the 1860 census of Lawrence County, AL, and he is living with L.M. Douthit. This had me stumped until I discovered Thomas Brummitt's 1853 will in Greenville County, SC. In it he names a daughter, "Queentina" Douthit, a daughter "Lotty" (hard to read, I suppose it could be Sally) and his daughter Amanda Bates. The Amanda born abt 1820 in the 1850 census was Pearson's mother apparently and should have been enumerated as a Bates. In the will,Thomas names as his administrator Maxfield Douthit (I have since seen that his name is Lorenzo Maxfield Douthit) which clears up the family Pearson Bates is living with in the 1860 census. Thomas Brummitt lives near John Bates in the 1850 census and I can only speculate that my Pearson Bates descends from that line, in fact, I discovered in the Index of defendants of The Court of Common Pleas for Greenville Co., SC "Brummett, Thomas ads Wilson H. Bates 2261" and also "Brummett, Thomas ads W.H. Bates 2260". Wilson Hamilton Bates was a son of John Bates. I am hoping that these cases may clear up the mystery of Pearson Bates parentage. I am presently at a loss as to how to get a copy of those cases. Can anyone give me some insight into the Bates or Brummitt family of Greenville, SC? Perhaps some tidbit of information that can help me further my Brummitt or Bates research? I would like to find out about Wilson Hamilton Bates. I have seen information posted that he had a wife "Martha?" maiden name unknown. Perhaps this could be my Amanda Brummitt? Thanks for any help at all, Jim