This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/Xih.2ACEB/722.814.822.925.931.947.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: Ruth, Thank you for your reply. Indiana Hays family has been a dead end for so long, until a dear friend, and researcher, found her family on 1840, 1850, and 1860 census. I did already have her on 1870 up until her death in 1935. I would like dates of marriage, if they are available. It seems that Charles L. Hays married Mourning Enochs. Their son, Robert T. Hays, married Eliza. 1840, Claiborne Parish, LA census: Robert Hays, 30/40, female 20/30, and one female under 5, and 2 females 10/15. Do to information on later census, it would seem unreasonable that Eliza was the mother of the two older girls. Unless they are twins, 10 years old, and Eliza had them when she was 15. I am thinking that Robert may have been married before. 1850 Jackson Co, LA census: Robert T. Hays 44 Tanner, b. IL. Eliza 35, b. TN. Martha I. 10 b. LA Robert M. 7 b. LA Indiana I. 1 b. LA (my great grandmother) Red River Twp, Sevier Co. Ar 1860 Hayes, F.F. (someone transcribed this wrong) 52 Farmer Eliza 45 Robert M. 16 Indiana 12 Single, Joseph H. 25 Single, Martha I. 19 By 1870, Crawford County, AR census, Martha I. had been married to, and widowed by, a York, as she had Henry York, age 9, and James York, age 2. Living in the same home, but counted as a separate family was Indiana Smith (widowed), age 22, and one year old Robert Smith. 1880, Logan County, AR census, Indiana is married to, and living with, Joseph F. Hooper (my great grandfather), his son Pink Hooper (from his first marriage), James York, 11, nephew, Robert Smith 10, step son, T. Henry Hooper age 4, and May Hooper just a few months old. The census records continue from that point. My grandfather, Jethro Madison Hooper was the youngest child of Joseph F. Hooper and Indiana I. Hays Hooper. She was known as Belle Hooper. My grandparents, Jethro and Sadie (Bradshaw) Hooper had 10 children, 9 surviving. My Dad was the youngest son. I have never been able to trace any information on Robert Smith. I have traced James York to a marriage to a Walker, and have a file in my computer. I also have my great grandfather's war records. He and Indiana "Belle" were married June 21, 1874. Uncle Henry Hooper was born 1876. Nellie May Hooper was born 1880. My grandfather, Jethro Madison Hooper was born July 24, 1886. Uncle Henry's family is in TX. He had only one child, Gilbert. I have E-mail contact with Gilbert's granddaughter, Diane Kelly. Aunt Nellie had a large family, from two different marriages, and what would appear to be a colorful youth. I think that times were difficult in AR in the early 1900's. Her last marriage, and life long one, was to David Riley Richardson. The moved to Spiro, OK sometime between 1910, and 1920. My uncle, the only one left living in Dad's family, remembers driving Indiana to OK to visit Aunt Nellie. My uncle is 88 years old. For my grandparents, there is a very large family. Sadly, a lot of my generation cousins have passed. When my grandmother, Sadie Hooper died, in 1967, there were 29 grandchildren, and 103 great grandchildren. Needless to say, the family has grown much since then. I am very interested in finding information on R.M. Hays, son of Robert. T. and Elilza. I am quite certain that the M in his name is for Marion, and that he went by the name, Marion Hays. My grandfather never knew his grandparents, and in those days, kids were told nothing. By the time they were old enough to work, they were too tired to ask questions. On Indiana's death certificate, grandpa stated that she was the daughter of Marion Hays, and no information was known on her mother. In early (1870 & 1880) census, Indiana did list her place of birth as LA, father born IL. However, grandpa listed her birth in Little River, AR. Her family was in Little River, AR, in 1860. So, I think that is all he knew, regarding where she came from. You cannot know how happy I am to have found links to Indiana's family. I would prefer that we have contact in regular E-mail. I can even send you the only known photo of Indiana. Dori Hooper dori189@aol.com