This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Brock, Reed, Pennington, Scott, Shirley Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/an/1MB.2ACI/342.590 Message Board Post: Myra Maybelle Shirley's mother was Eliza Pennington, supposedly related to the Hatfields of the Hatfield-McCoy feud. Father John Shirley supposedly the black sheep of a well-to-do VA family apparently was married and divorced twice before marrying Eliza in Indiana. By 1839 they had moved to near Carthage, Jasper Co., MO. Within a few years Shirley had moved into Carthage where he owned a hotel, livery, and other business interests and was well-to-do. When the Civil War began, the federal government took control of MO and southern sympathizers farms were burned and others forced from towns in the counties adjoining Kansas from Kansas City to the AR line. The Shirleys moved to the Scyene community, Dallas Co., TX where John Shirley obtained an 800 acre land grant. Now part of southeastern Dallas, the very short Belle Starr Street was the location of the Shirley home. Nov. 1, 1866, Collin Co., TX, James C."Jim" Reed and Myra were married (marriage records of Collin Co.). Jim's parents had been burned out of Vernon Co., MO and come to near present Rhome, Wise Co., TX to join Jim's grandparents Perry Green Brock and Margaret Scott and most of their children who had moved from Cass Co., MO in 1858 and 1860. Jim's father Solomon Reed died Wise Co. May, 1863. When the Civil War ended, Jim's mother Susan (Brock ) Reed moved to south of McKinney, Collin Co., TX with her sister Fatima Jane (Brock) and "Timy's" husband David Reed (a cousin of Susan's husband Solomon Reed). Jim had remained in MO during the war, riding with the Youngers, James brothers, and Shirley son John Allison "Bud" Shirley in Quantrill's Raiders. Jim came to his mother's in TX after the war ended and he and Myra married in Collin Co. where his family was. Jim's father's estate in Vernon Co., MO was probated in 1866/1867 and Jim's mother Susan returned to her old home. Probably early 1868, Jim and Myra moved to his mother's in MO. Here daughter Rosa Lee "Pearl" was born in Sept, 1868. They moved to near Riverside,CA, where son James Edwin was born 22 Feb, 1871. In 1872 they moved back to TX, going to Coon Creek area near present Laguna Park, Bosque Co., TX , later moving back to Dallas. Jim was shot and killed near Paris, TX, 6 Aug 1874 while resisting arrest. Don't have complete data, but John Shirley apparently died 1876. Eliza Shirley then sold her farm and moved to Dallas. Haven't researched the Shirley family much, but think these are the children of John and Eliza. 1. John Allison "Bud"Shirley b 1842 MO killed 1864 Sarcoxie, MO. Apparently a captain in Quantrill's Raiders 2. Myra Maybelle b 6 Feb 1848 Jasper Co., MO killed 3 Feb 1889 near her Younger's Bend home near Eufaula, OK. Buried at home place. 3. Edwin b 1850 Jasper Co., MO, killed about 1868 for stealing horses. John Shirley may have had other children by his prior marriages, but I have no record of them as yet. Myra's second husband may have been Bruce Younger, a relative of Cole Younger, as there is a marriage license in Lebette Co., KS for a Bruce Younger and Myra Maybelle Reed 15 May 1880. If that is true, it was a very short lived marriage as 3 weeks later she was marrying Cherokee Indian Sam Starr in Indian Territory. Contrary to the old stories, Myra's daughter Rosa was not Cole Younger's child. In his autobiography, Younger clearly states he visited the Shirley home in 1864 and the next visit was at the Reed home in MO in 1868 when Myra was 6 months pregnant. You might get your local library to order via inter-library loan from the Mid-Continent Library in Independence, MO. the book "Starr Tracks" by Philip Steele. He has some incorrect information,but should be correct enough to help you. Unfortunately some of his "data" is from tales, not facts, but then most of the books on "Belle Starr" rely on the old "Police Gazette" whose stories were often total fiction to please the easterners who loved wild west stories. Hope this helps some. Shelba in Texas.