You asked if anyone had traced an ancestor back to James Henderson Irby.

From the South Carolina Archives in Columbus, I have a certified abstract of the will of Dr. William C. Irby, who I believe is the father or other paternal relative of of James Henderson Irby. Dr. Irby married Henrietta Henderson, so that is where the middle name comes from.

One of the children of Dr Irby was Elizabeth Irby Benham, and the father gave a few slaves to her and his other children in an 1828 Will. I found one of my ancestors which was pretty neat. I think the extended Irby family had many slaves, so you might start looking at the wills on microfiche.

Benham is my mothers maiden name. Elizabeth Irby Benham moved with her slaveholder husband to Cartersville Georgia around 1850 and that's where my family has been since.

Thanks for your note on the Laurens library. I hope to get there one day.

Cathy Freeman