----- Forwarded Message ----- From: "Ray Heyden Burson" <[email protected]> Merrell Family Former local historian Jerry Ponder has long held that one of his ancestors, Nancy Emeline Merrell, first wife of Daniel Kinzie Crockett Ponder was killed by Union soldiers during the so-called Christmas "Massacre" skirmish at Pulliam's farm on Dec. 25, 1863. A tattered Daniel K. Ponder family bible was handed over to the Ripley Couinty Historical Society yesterday. It was found in an old house that was being torn down and had the following entries for Nancy Emeline Merrell -- "Nancy Emeline Ponder was born April the 1- 1832." "Daniel K. Ponder and Nancy Emeline Merrell was married November 28, 1851." "Nancy Emeline Ponder departed this life January 23d - 1864." -- Ray Burson, Ripley County Historical Society