Hi list, I received today the rather large pension file for James M TREAT. He was a grandson of John TREAT and Margaret WILLIAMS, the ancestors of the TREATs and many of the HALLs in Marion Co, AR. I thought some of you would be interested in information contained in a letter written by Mr TREAT to the Commissioner of Pensions on 13 Jan 1915. Mr TREAT is attempting to prove his age and in the course of the letter refers to some fascinating events in early Marion Co. Here are some excerpts: " . . . I was born in Morgan County, Indiana but I cannot give the name of the township. My father's name was Edward Clark TREAT and was sometimes familiarly called "Doc" TREAT. My mother's maiden name was Morman MILLER. I had one sister named Matilda who died during the war. My father's family moved from Morgan Co, Ind. to Madison County, Ark. where my mother died when I was about 4 years old. We lived a while in Newton Co., Ark, moved from there to Marion Co., Ark. near Yellville and then to Searcy Co. "I do not remember with certainty where I was in June 1850 but think I was living with my cousin (Big) John TREAT in Searcy Co, Ark. near Big Flat. My father was shot and killed at Yellville, Arkansas. James TREAT, my uncle, was administrator of his estate. James TREAT died before the estate was settled and Col. JEFFERSON was his successor. I am informed that the Probate records of Marion County should show these facts. [Don't I wish!!] "At the time of the big comet in 1858 I was carrying the mail from the county seat of Marion County to Bemis [?] Bayou for Abe DENTON. Mr WEISS (or WISE) was postmaster at the time . . . "My father was shot by Alfred BURNS who escaped and left the country. He was hit on the head with a stone by John HEDSPETH (?) at the time of the shooting. HEDSPETH was arrested and put in jail where to took sick and he died before his trial. If the records of Marion County, Ark. have not been destroyed I suppose that the date of my father's death may be fixed and possibly my age may be stated in the application for administration. [Again . . . don't I wish!] "Very respectfully, "James M TREAT [signed the the mark 'x']" I still shudder when I think of all the history of Marion County that was lost through the various courthouse fires. Oh well, no use crying (too much, anyway) over spilt milk. I hope these excerpts have been of interest to someone. If anyone out there has an ancestor from Marion Co, AR named "Matilda" in the early 1860s, perhaps we can try and match her up to James M TREAT's sister of that name (mentioned above). James M TREAT (whose first wife was Mary C AKIN, daughter of John and Caroline AKIN) named his first child Matilda, obviously after his sister. This Matilda later married John T KEESEE in 1887 in Boone Co, AR. This couple may have had a daughter named Matilda KEESEE, although this is unclear. Anybody have any clues? Gary Treat