My brick wall was proving the lineage of Erwin Elkins to his son, James Garrott Elkins. Erwin and his wife Elizabeth moved from Henry County, Ga. to Ms by 1850. In 1860, they are in Wayne County, Ms on the census. In 1866, Erwin Elkins is on the Ag Census for Wayne County. By 1870, his wife, Elizabeth is still living in Wayne County as a widow and with their younger son.
James Garrott Elkins does not appear on any deed, will, or estate record for Erwin Elkins. Part of the reason for this is that Wayne County, Ms is a burned County. They have no records prior to 1893. So, I tried the Mississippi Archives. They have no records concerning Erwin Elkins or his wife, Elizabeth.
The way I was able to prove this lineage was by going back to Henry County, Ga where there were numerous records on Elizabeth and her family. Through her mothers will and a deed between her mother and James Garrott Elkins, I was able to prove that SHE was his mother and that since she married Erwin Elkins before James G's birth, then he had to be his father.
It was a round about way. But, sometimes, it is the only way to prove something when you run up against a burned county.