This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: brinker Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/GV.2ADE/1903.1 Message Board Post: on james william he was on the war draft list on july-27-1917, that was for the nelson township. james franklin of metropolis, ill. along with elder john adams visited with their friend elder r. l. powell. on noah, it was a story about the pearl fishing and shell gathering in the black river. it said although the shells had been scarce that season, the corning pearl button co. was paying $30.00 a ton for good shells delivered to the factory. among those who had good finds were d.m. doolin-$800.00, noah brinker-$355.00, george wiles-$287.50, william collins- two pearls $300.00 and $500.00 each,john baker-$425.00, i'm sorry i forgot to write down the date on that one. melvin and ada were also on that same draft list. they were both in kilgore township. linda