HI.. Just a last minute reminder on the SMITH family reunion.... Sunday, April 30, 2000, there will be the Annual Smith reunion at Harold Miles Park (Beagle Hunting Club)... It begins at 10AM; and, is a covered dish affair. If you need additional information, please let me know!!! Thanks!!! kaite..

HI... Just one last reminder on the DYESS Reunion... Friday night at 6PM, April 28, 2000, there will be a Genealogy type meeting at the Roadway Inn, Room #133......There will be a photocopy machine and notebook computers there to take information to update the data base; and, to scan pictures if neccessary... Saturday beginning about 9AM, April 29, 2000, the reunion will be held at the home of Rev. B. G. Dyess, 2015 Shirley Park Place, Alexandria, La. It's a covered dish affair.... If you need more information, please let me know.... Hope to see you there.... kaite..

HI!!! Glad to hear from you!!!! The DYESS Reunion is 29th...At B. G. Dyess home 2015 Shirley Park Place, Alex, La.... The SMITH reunion is 30th.. at Harold Miiles Park at the Beagle Hunting Club.... Go Hwy 1 toward Shreveport... After you pass the England AirPark Exit... it's about 1 mile on the left...you turn in there and it is back in the woods... Very peaceful..... My phone number is: 318-449-1942.... Looking forward to seeing and hearing from you!!! kaite...

Thanks Houston. Sorry I missed you on my trip to Alexandria earlier this month. Apparently you were at the Genealogy Library on Sat. the 8th April just before I got there. Perhaps next trip we'll run into each other. Thanks for the info. How might I get a copy of the map? Barbara

A map drawn in 1889 by R.W. Bringhurst Jr., Parish Surveyor to show the land owners of a portion of Rapides Parish was made to show the land owners just prior to and during the American Civil War years, 1860-1865, as taken from other existing surveys by U.S. Deputy Surveyors and 2 private local surveyors. I suppose in an attempt to clear up bad titles being reestablished after the burning of the courthouse. A copy was given to me by Rufus Smith, the former cartographer in the Assessor's office in Rapides Parish. It comes from some Civil Suit, but is only marked, Exhibit A. I do not know the File number, nor the parties involved, so I cannot retreive other information. On this it shows WISE and Alec WISE owning 2 irregularly shaped tracts of land on the north side of the Red River, one having a front on the river of more than 6 miles, prior to and including a great and sharp bend in the river. Cruikshank's name does not appear, so they must have come after the War. Cruikshank's did own land, I have seen the name in land title work I have done in the area of Kincaid and Valentine Lakes, west of Alexandria. I have not done any work along the corresponding area of Bayou Rapides to know if their land extended that far. In other instances, such as the Cooper's Cedar Grove and the Graham's Tyrone Plantation, the tracts (in some cases) do extend from the right bank descending of Red River across Bayou Rapides and parts cross over Bayou Boeuf. Happy Hunting! And Happy Easter! Houston

Jeanne, I think part of the first e-mailed was deleted; I had written that George A. Wise died in 1879.

Thanks Jeanne, I am looking for Robert and James Cruikshank. I believe they had a plantation/farm in Bayou Rapides. George A. WiseSr., in 1879 but his family continued to live on the Plantation, Grand Bend in Ruby (I think) or Pineville. Barbara

Jeanne: I would be interested in any Gordon, as I am having a hard time finding my gr.grandfather's parents. The time frame for his birth would be 1840-50, in AL or LA. I believe his people lived in central LA by the time he was 15-20 (or before.). His name was Thomas Jefferson Gordon, and he married Lucrettia Bushnell d/o Matthew Bushnell and Rosanna Charbonneau, who were living in Rapids' Parish in 1850-60s. Is the book available? Thank you for your time and help. Ethel.

Hi Jeanne...Oh this is great and Thank You for looking :) TheThomas name is RAYMOND THOMAS... HOBBS ARE LEWIS HOBBS, ALICE HOBBS, MAGGIE HOBBS, LEON HOBBS And Thanks again Love, Peace and Blessings :) Your Bud Jeri

Re: The book is "Central Louisiana Families In 1880" by Verda J. Ruff. I am searching for Farris, Pollard, Davenport, Harper, and Iles. -- Judith Wood Henderson 915 Furman Avenue Corpus Christi, Texas 78404 361 882 5173

Are there any Gordons or Bushnells? Thanks, Ethel.

Hi, Is it possible to obtain a copy of the 1880 book.? Cherry

Ethel, Yes there are. What are the given names? Jeanne

Jeri - There is a Thomas family on pg. 239 and 3 families on pg. 240. There is a Hobbs on pg. 88, 106 and 113. Give me some first names and I'll let you know if these are who you are looking for. Jeanne

The book is "Central Louisiana Families In 1880" by Verda J. Ruff. It is very helpful to me in looking up names people are researching. It is listings of names giving birth, location, marriage date, spouse name, death date, cemetery where buried. It doesn't give all this information for every name, only some. Verda had been ill and published her book as it was rather than loose all her research on it. It has helped quite a lot of people. I am willing to look up some names for you if you'd like. If there is a lot to list, please send your snail mail address and I will be glad to send a copy of what I have for your names. I am searching for Peyton,Payton,Paton, Readman, Decker and Pemberton. Jeanne

HI; I'm also interested in the 1880s book. I'm researching the Thomas and Hobbs family. Thanks. Jeri

Katir, I lost the location of the reunion. Please tell me where to go to attend and a good time to get there. Also, could you give me a little direction. I don't know anybody there and I don't know that much about my family, mabey it is a good reason to attend. My paternal ggrandfather was john SMITH and lived in Rapides around mid to late 1800's. Thanks , Gerry -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, April 14, 2000 6:28 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [LARAPIDE] DYESS reunion...REMINDERS.... Please read... HI... I'm forwarding your mail to Barbara Swire for the SMITH information.... The SMITH reunion is April 30th... There are some Dyess relatives in NOLA that probably will be coming... There are some SMITH relatives in NOLA that will be coming....Sunday... Barbara will answer you back... Thanks!! kaite.. http://www.kaite.com/

Hi, Question . What 1880 book are you referring to.? I 've seen your reference to it when you referred ther Cruikshank-Wise searcher and since I am researching several families in Rapides Parish at that time I'm interested in what book you are referring to. Thank you . Cherry

Hi, in the 1880 book on page 58 there are 5 Cruikshank families listed living in Ward 9 = Pineville Ward. Page 267 has one family with a George A. Wise, Jr. and a son George A. There is also another family on same page with a George A. Wise. Can you give some other first names for these families, maybe I can decide which ones belong to your quiry? Jeanne

Hi, I'm not researching the Ussery family but I checked in the 1880 book and there is listed the following: BRADY (8) George H. b. 1874 La. married to Annie Ussery. He d. 1969 LCL USSERY (9) Phillip b. 1850 Ms. Corine b. 1861 Ms. George b. 1870 La. Ella b. 1878 La. Phillip b. 1880 La. Hope this helps. Be sure to check the above for accuracy to be sure. Jeanne Look for Peyton/Payton/Paton, Readman, Kay, and Moore in Rapides Parish, La.