I have been monitoring this mailing list for several months now but have never posted - but this particular e-mail really intrigued me (the one from Vern). My Branson lines also lived in Oklahoma. (Alva, OK and surrounding areas actually) My great grandparents names were Della and Charles Branson. They had 3 daughters: Ruby, Zelma, and Afton. Afton and Ruby both got married. Zelma was teaching in Kansas (I believe) and was engaged to a wonderful & handsome young man but when her parents found out her fiance' was Catholic (I believe) they nixed the marriage! Zelma never married after that and lived at home and took care of her parents until they all died. My maternal grandmother was named Ruby. Both Zelma and Afton were teachers. Afton married a preacher, I believe. She is currently in a nursing home or assisted care facility also. Ruby married my grandfather - Glenn Calvin Morefield who was a very hard working farmer, bus driver, park ride owner, and land owner, etc. in Enid, OK. Vern, could you please advise what your OK families names were and who they were related to both while in OK and prior to OK? We just may have a match here (altho I don't recognize any of the given names you listed - but I really have not gotten into researching the Branson branch yet). Vern, thanks for any info you can provide! Matilda, thanks again for posting this letter or e-mail!! Shows us just how much communication is a part of us. The answers are always out there but we just have to have someone show us the way some times, right? Karel In a message dated 05-01-00 14:20:55, BRANSON-D-request@rootsweb.com writes: << Date: Sat Apr 29 07:03:19 2000 I am forwarding this for what it is worth to members of the Branson list. M. L. Branson Subject: Fw: Fwd: me Hi mom, You have already gotten some info from him, but this is a more detailed letter, so I thought I would send it. You don't need to do anything about it, but it might fit in the trail somewhere. In a message dated 4/28/2000 1:26:26 PM !!!First Boot!!!, branson@san.rr.com writes: << Malinda My name is Vernon, friends call me Vern. My folks came from OK. I live in San Diego. I have lived in southern California since I was 4 years old, except for a two year stint in San Francisco. I am retired from middle management for Pacific Telephone. I will be 75 years old the 14th of May. I've been married to the same wife for 55 years (will be next July) I was in the Air Corps in WWII, only got in two years of college before I got married. I have two kids, a girl, Peggy, who has two boys who are grown and married. One has a son (Daniel, two years old) who visited us last night. I have a son, Bob, who has two girls, neither of whom are married. They all live in the Sierra mountains, 400 miles north of here. I am nothing to look at--been fat all my life--but I've recently lost 50 pounds--down to 224. I'm the same height as you, 5' 9". I like things that are funny, really funny, not just funny 'cause they're dirty. I get flooded with jokes from a bunch of people on the internet, most of which are unfunny, or trash. No, I am not related to the folks you mentioned in your note. Many of my Branson ancestors were professors. All of my grandfathers family (he and his brothers) were college graduates. One brother was a professor in Georgia, another was the president of the University of New Mexico. There is even a Branson Hall there now. But my grandfather was a weird duck. He was a "gentleman farmer". Sat around in a clean white shirt and told his sons where to plow. He didn't send any of his 9 kids to college My mother is still alive. She is 92. Lives in a nursing home a few miles from here. She needs around-the-clock care, but she is healthy, and her family lives long lives. I am quite sure she will outlive me. There, that's more than enough. It was nice of you to answer so promptly. You sound like you'd be a wonderful person to have for a friend, or a lifelong partner. I really hope the right guy comes along, if that's what you want. Is it OK to sign off "Love, Vern" ? >> >>