My great-grandmother was Lula Ritchie, born in 1874 in Arkansas (probably Madison County). Her death certificate lists Martin Ritchie as her father and mother unknown. We believe Martin was actually "Marcum", son of Hiram and Phoebe (Euphemy, Pharbia, etc.) Patrick Ritchie. I have been unable to find the mother of Lula Ritchie and her sisters. Here is some basic information on her: Lue Ritchie was born April 19, 1874, in Arkansas, the daughter of Marcum (Martin) Ritchie and ??. Her daughter (my grandmother) was Susie Jane Wilkins Ledford. Grandma Susie said that Lue had an aunt Tony Buck and an aunt Clarissa Walker, both sisters of Lue's father, Marcum (Martin) Ritchie. Other relatives mentioned by Susie were first cousins Cleo Ritchie Shipman (Mrs. George), Jim Ritchie (a trapper), Lizie Glass, and Judge Combs of Crosses, Delaney, or Combs, Arkansas. Lue was the oldest of three daughters, and her two younger sisters were Bertha Ida Ritchie, born about 1876 and later married a Sullenger; and Ella Ritchie, born about 1878, married a Raymond, and was a cook in the Chicago, Illinois, area after her marriage. Lue and her sisters lived with relatives in the Paris, Logan County, Arkansas, area during their childhood. It is believed that both of their parents died while the girls were very young. Lue married Marion Burgess Wilkins on September 11, 1892, in Madison County, Arkansas. Lue and Marion had nine children together before he passed away in 1915. Lue then married a dairyman from Tuttle, Arkansas, George W. Branstetter , who died about 1925. After Branstetter's death, Lue sought the help of her cousin, Judge Combs, in achieving a fair division of his dairy with his heirs. Lue then married Earle Houston and moved with him in 1943 to Chelan Falls, Washington, where she died on December 14, 1947. Obituary from Northwest Arkansas Times, December 19, 1947, page 9, column 2: Mrs. Lue Houston died December 15 at the home of her son, O.A. Wilkins, in Chelan, Wash. She is survived by her husband, E. M. Houston; four sons,Woodrow Wilkins and Frank Wilkins, both of Fayetteville, George Wilkins of Indiana and O.A. Wilkins; four daughters, Mrs. Laura Griffith of Fayetteville, Mrs. Annie Lollar of Clifty, Mrs. Susie Ledford and Mrs. Maude Thompson, both of Washington, and a sister Mrs. Jim Sullinger of Haskell, Okla. Funeral survices will be held Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Oakland Baptist Church by the Rev. O.L. Lierly. Burial will be in the Oakland Cemetery under direction of the Nelson-Savage Funeral Home. Vol. III cemetery book, Walnut Grove Cem.: "Wilkins, Marion Burgess (fieldstone behind large lilac bush); b. 09 Nov 1859 Ohio, d 06 Apr 1915, with typhoid; 1st h/o Lula or Lou B. RITCHIE, b 09 Apr 1874, d 14 Dec 1947, md in Washington Co. on 11 Sept 1892. Lou md 2/G.W. Branstetter in Washington Co. 28 Feb 1924. She md 3/Early M. Houston & buried Oakland Church Cem. east of Fayetteville with #3 husband Wilkins, Minnie (fieldstone) b Sept 1900, d 06 Sept 1914, of typhoid. d/o 1/Marion B. & Lula B. RITCHIE Wilkins." I'm hoping you may have come across some of these names in your research and can help me learn more about who Lula's mother may have been. Thanks in advance, Jeanne Ledford Brewer _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com