LINEAGE NOTE
Many years ago Ransdell researcher Bob Moore seemed to have put a nail in the coffin of Sanford Ransdell b. 1781 being the son of Sanford Ransdell of Orange Co., Virginia. Moore pointed out that the older Sanford Ransdell when he made his will in Mercer Co., Kentucky in 1830 didn't mention having a son named Sanford. He further stated that it was likely that Sanford had no children at all. When confronted with the Sanford Ransdell and Sanford Ransdell, Jr. listing in the 1803 Mercer County Tax Record he said that that didn't always signify father and son, but also simply older and younger.

However, for the first time I have actually looked at an online scan of the actual page. For 1803 there are three lists that have rough alphabetical listings. The second list for 1803 has Ransdall, Sanford and Ransdall, Sanford, Jr. one on top of the other. They were listed on July 6th 1803. There is a "Rowland" recorded above them and a "Robertson" beneath them and those were recorded on other days. After examining this record, I now have little doubt that they didn't just share the same name, but were actually father and son, since there weren't anymore Ransdells on that list, which means these Sanfords were living near each other.