I'm new to the list and trying to find my way around. I read an archived inquiry (dated August 23, 2000)--about Matlocks buried in a Texas. I am a descendant of the James Ervin Matlock buried in Ethel Cemetery in Grayson County, Texas and have been trying to compile the history of that line. The family history that was handed down to me is that Lucy, Gus, Columbus Franklin and James Ervin were the children of James and Elizabeth Matlock. James Ervin was born at Hampton, Ark, Jan 28, 1858, died Nov 11, 1933. He and Columbus Franklin are buried in the Ethel Cemetery in Grayson County, TX. According to the tombstone, Columbus was born in 1855 and died in 1935. I don’t know anything about the other two children other than it is believed that Lucy married a Bryant. James Ervin married Mary Jane R. Burgin, daughter of Jesse David W. and Martha Matilda Burgin at Ethel on October 7, 1881. They had 11 children, now all deceased. According to family tradition, the mother of James Ervin died when the children were still at home and he left the 4 children to his sister to raise. In the Matlock encyclopedia that is online, a James M. Matlock born Nov. 20, 1823 married and had four children in Arkansas - Lucy, Gus, Columbus and Irving. His wife died and he left all four of the children with Semantha Medlock Ballard, his sister who had no children. This could possibly be the family. I found in the Arkansas Census of 1870 for Bradley County a Moreton and Cimantha Ballard who had living with them Columbus Matlock, age 14 and Lucy, age 18. Haven’t yet identified Gus and James Ervin in this census. I am wondering if this James M, is not the son of John R. Matlock who married Lucinda Mayfield. The author of the Encyclopedia thought that he was. If anyone else has any further information on this line I would appreciate it.