Okay, just so y'all don't think I've forgotten the real reason we're here...you post some stuff, and I won't feel compelled to be a commentator on hillbilly idiosyncrasies. Maybe. This is a story related to my grandmother, Audie E. MACOMB WILSON, by her first cousins, Bessie FAIN COFFMAN and Dessie FAIN JOHNSON. (The women are sisters, but not twins) Their mother was Mary Lavina "Viney" MACOMB FAIN, d/o Nathaniel Jefferson MACOMB and Martha Ella PHENIX. Grandma's father was Viney's brother Nathan Birdseye MACOMB. I bet good genealogists such as yourselves ain't confused yet. I left Grandma's spelling like she did it. "Word" hates when you do that. Rebuttal follows. Vonda Bessie and Dessie’s Story Copied from a paper received by Vonda Wilson Sheets from Audie Edith Macomb Wilson, Jan 1991. "October 24 25 1988 This story told to me by Bessie Coffman + Dessie Johnson, as told to them by their mother. Born Nov-24-1893 Mary Lavina Macomb Fain-- (Born Mar 24 1853) Nathaniel Jefferson Macomb + Martha Ella Pheonix ran away from their home's in Iowa + Macomb Illinios to Lampe MO- got married Live on this hight mountain in a Lean to by a Large Cave Must have been about halfway down- Because Grandma said - after 2 o'clock each Day - they could not see the Sun and when the rain and Snow fell it came thru the Place where the cabin join the cave-- The First Baby Boy died at birth-- Aunt Vina thinks it was burried near their cabin - Levi was its name -- The Reason they ran away - Granpa's Dad + Mother Did not agree for him to marry what they call a Black Woman -- A Full Blood Cherokee Indian So they came to Missouri -- how ever they follow them here - and lived on the South Side of Road Way but never came to see thier baby's- 10 of them in all -- Mama said her mother was always pregnant so she never came down the mountain. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- I asked how Did they buy Food + clothing - and mama said--They did not have very much clothing but Grandma sew them all by hand -- And Grandpa kept wild game + in the Summer time there were lots of wild grape's + Berries And Mama Said--She remembers he brought in a wild hog-one time-- page 2 mama Said- Pa was craching around in the Dirt Plowing when a man came and said Nathaniel If you want to see your pa alive you'd better drop your plow lines When he got there he was Dead. he burried him there in the woods-- mama Don't know - but she thinks Great Grandma was allso burried there too--later on Levi or NJ Macomb + Diamond Macomb Great Grandpa + Great Grandma its in the woods Somewhere on Uncle Migs Place it use to be--Great Grandpa Nathaniel Jefferson or Levi whitchever name it was--+ Grandpa Nathaniel J Macomb old Homestead- in 18-7 There was 52 Steps Frank carved out on the mountain we ran up and down playing in Little Indian creek - mama was 11 years old when mama died - and she remembers running along behind the wagon to the graveyard at Blue Eye MO - around 9 miles Frank Atchley -- Grace thinks helped them move from near Uncle Mig's place to Garber MO when Lois was a baby.