Well, my Dads family is from Ahoskie, NC. His name is Chester Gatling and his parents are named Tommie and Thelma (Outlaw) Gatling. I've always been told that we were decendants of the Richard J Gatling (inventor of the Gatling gun), but I have not found any proof of that. I believe that the real story is that my great grandfather used to be a slave of the Gatling's and when slavery was abolished, he took the Gatling last name.