This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/5gF.2ACIB/1182.1 Message Board Post: I don't have Berry Irwin Bray from Tennessee, but I have Berry Irwin Bray born Alabama and died in Texas. An Old Letter Rusty Franks found the following letter in some papers and books belonging to his mother, Manervie Bray Franks, after she died. The letter was published this time in the Gatesville paper in 1970. Text of the old letter follows: I see a great many of the Old Timers writing to the News and I thought I would come in for a little space. I was born in Henry County, Alabama and lived there until I was about 14 years old, then moved to Coffee County. Lived there til 1854. Then emigrated to Texas and joined the Confederate Army in 1862 and went east in Captain Hicks Company. I was in the seige at Vicksburge where my First Lieutenant L. Clark was killed. My father, Little Berry Bray was born in Washington County, Georgia in 1801. He emigrated to Alabama in the early days. There were few whites in the country. He settled in Henry County. He remained there till 1840. He then moved to Dale County where I grew to full manhood. Here I decided to do business for myself. On the 11th day of January 1854 I was married to Catherine Carlton of Coffee County. In a few days after our marriage we started to seek our fortune in the Lone Star State across the Sabine River and set my foot on Texas soil on the 1st day of March 1854. ------------------------------------------------- He came to Texas in 1854 and lived in the Corsicana, Malakoff area until moving to Coryell County in 1878. The letter was not signed but was written by Berry Irvin Bray.